Tale of the Warring Nations
by Asagi Tsuki
Summary: When two kingdoms were again involved in a war, those who were tired of the endless wars sought a way to put an end to it and bring about peace to the world
1. The Ruined Landscape of Nations at War

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: after the remake of LoM's Jumi Arc, now is the remake of Odin's Sphere's Valkyrie and Knight books, meaning, this story will only focus on Gwendolyn and Oswald's stories :D to those of you who don't play the game, no worries. I'm still halfway through the Valkyrie book as well, so most of the story here is taken right from Wikipedia :P I added a few things and changed a couple of things as well, so it's not exactly like the original game, so if you find any of the facts out of place, do excuse them and let me rewrite some of the facts. Also, the chapters of this fic is significantly shorter than Pandora's Box's chapters, probably about half of them or something. Also, following Pandora's Box, I will include a small introductory passage explaining the setting of this story so that there will be no confusion :D

If you manage to get convinced by this story, well, that's really an ego boost xDDD enjoy anyway~

By the way, following the pattern of Pandora's Box, but even more extreme, all chapters of this fic are titled with soundtrack titles :D not all of them are on my playlist, but I still think most of the game's soundtracks are really nice

Italics are flashback, if you don't know :D

NB: I'm bored and have been writing a lot. And I really mean a lot :D if you do enjoy this fic, please leave a review coz I'm a comment whore like that :P

**Prologue – The Ruined Landscape of Nations at War**

In a world named Erion, stood five kingdoms. The number used to be six, but since the fall of one, it went down to five. The ruined kingdom was the kingdom of Valentine, which stood between the kingdom of Ragnanival and the kingdom of Ringford. It was rumored that the king of Valentine went insane and that brought about the fall of the kingdom.

Ragnanival, the other kingdom, was ruled by Odin. His army mostly consisted of valkyries, giants, and dwarfs. Ragnanival was a strong country with barbaric men, but there weren't any healers on their side, so those who were injured during a war mostly ended up dead if their wounds were grave enough.

Ringford, meanwhile, the kingdom of fairies, weren't so. They were famous for healers and mages, as well as summoners. It was said that the fairy queen Elfaria had a dragon at her disposal, but this was yet to be proven true. To the west of this kingdom was the snowy mountain Winterhorn Ridge, where the fabled dragon Wagner lived.

Titania, a city-state to the side, near to the Forest of Elrit, remained neutral even when Ragnanival and Ringford went to war again and again. Volkenon, the fire country in the middle of a volcano, also remained neutral, although it had promised to help Ragnanival if situation called for it.

The last kingdom wasn't actually a kingdom. It was the underworld kingdom Endelphia, ruled by the underworld queen Odette.

This is a story of different characters who are involved in the fight to destroy a sacred object that has caused endless wars...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A young man stood in the middle of a battlefield, grasping onto a blue crystal-tipped spear tightly. He was dressed in a valkyrie uniform, a position of knighthood that was usually filled by a woman. He was an exception. He fought not only for his country, not only for his father, but also for his sister who died an untimely death defending her country with all her might.

"_Prince Shinichi! Something bad has happened! Captain Shinku was surrounded and her army decimated!"_

_A young man standing by the side of the battlefield, watching the events unfolding in front of his eyes, widened his eyes in surprise. "Where is she?" he asked, a note or urgency in his voice as he rushed to the valkyrie soldier who approached him. "Where is Shinku?"_

"_Over there," the valkyrie said, motioning at the general direction. "She managed to defeat the enemy's unit, but she's gravely injured. No one in our kingdom could treat her, so we thought of telling you and King Odin."_

_Shinichi didn't listen to her explanation. His mind was racing with thoughts of losing his only sibling—his sister who had loved him even when their father treated them so indifferently. His sister who had always been together with him in his quest to gain acknowledgement from their father._

"_Shinku!" Shinichi exclaimed when he saw the young woman lying weakly and helplessly on the battleground, her armor stained with her blood. "Shinku, hang in there. We'll get you to safety."_

_Shinku slowly opened her eyes, and smiled when she saw Shinichi. "No, Brother. It's too late," Shinku said, smiling at him. "You have to live, Shinichi. Live for me and for yourself. Your good luck has not come yet."_

"_Has yours?" Shinichi asked as he frowned._

"_Of course," Shinku said as she chuckled, the voice strained. "You are the best brother I could ask for. Father even told me he's so proud of me for being his best general. What more could I ask for?"_

"_Your life isn't all about this," Shinichi said, shaking his head, tears welling his eyes. "Your life has much more meaning than this, Shinku. Don't die. Not yet."_

"_I will be with you," Shinku said softly, holding onto Shinichi's face with her right hand. "Always. Until you find your happiness, I will not abandon you. I will be with you in spirit."_

"_Shinku..."_

"_Take this," Shinku said as she held up her spear. "This is Gungnir, my prized spear. Father gave it to me, and I want you to have it. Use it to defend what you believe in."_

"_I..." Shinichi frowned as he accepted the blue-tipped spear. "I will fight for this country in your place. I will not let your sacrifice be in vain. We will win this war."_

"_No, Shinichi," Shinku said as she shook her head. "This war will have no end. You have to fight for peace. I believe you can do that."_

"_But—"_

"_Remember, whatever your heart tells you is true. Nothing can affect your soul," Shinku said as she smiled at Shinichi. "This is not goodbye. Not yet. I'll watch over you. Always..."_

"Prince Shinichi, please retreat," a dwarf said as he rushed towards Shinichi. "Ringford's Shadow Knight is here. He is the fabled knight who gained boundless power from the queen of netherworld herself."

"Is he responsible for Shinku's death?" Shinichi asked as he stared at the dwarf.

"I wouldn't put it that way. I'm not sure myself," the dwarf said, then panicked when Shinichi rushed towards the Shadow Knight instead. "Prince Shinichi!"

"Halt!" Shinichi shouted as he swung his spear at the Shadow Knight and caused him to stop. The knight then assumed his human form, and Shinichi noted that he looked just like a normal young man who was unwilling to fight a pointless war. His eyes were tired, and his stance slightly slouched.

The knight stared at Shinichi. "What do you want?"

"I will avenge my sister," Shinichi said determinedly.

"I didn't kill her," the knight said easily.

"How would you know that?" Shinichi asked as he glared at the knight. He brought up his spear and pointed it at the knight. "Draw your weapon. We will settle the score here."

"Even if it means losing your life?" the knight asked wearily.

"I'd rather die with my sister," Shinichi said, his tone solemn. "Now draw your weapon!"

The knight moved fast. Faster than he thought possible. The next second, he was already on the ground, pinned down by the knight who had his red-tipped Psypher sword against his neck.

Shinichi stared into the deep amethyst eyes of the knight as the knight stared back. Finally, he asked, "how long are you going to keep me pinned down? Aren't you going to kill me?"

The knight stared some more at Shinichi, then pulled back. "I didn't kill your sister," he said. "And I never said anything about killing you. You have to live."

"Why?" Shinichi asked, frowning. "Why should I live? Give me a reason!"

"Because I told you to," the knight said simply. "Live."

With that said, the knight went off, just as more valkyrie knights came to be his back up. Shinichi stared at the retreating figure of the knight, and decided on one thing.

He would stay alive until he could avenge his sister.

**End of ****Prologue**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~


	2. Victory

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: as I've said before, I'm currently in a some sort of writing frenzy :D it won't last long, but I think it's enough to keep this story going until my muse comes back again. Also, as I've said to someone, these chapters are significantly shorter than Pandora's Box, so I should take significantly less time to write one, right? :3 right?

Anyway, this is the first chapter :D enjoy~~

Reply to anonymous reviews are at the bottom, as usual :D find your name :P

**Chapter One**** – Victory**

Shinichi rushed towards a valkyrie standing guard on the battlefield, watching for any back up from the castle. Her stance was tense and her grip was tight, causing her knuckles to go white. Shinichi understood her worries. Anyone would be worried while in such prolonged war with a strong nation such as Ringford, the kingdom of fairies. They were known for their healers and mages. It had been more than a week since Shinku died in the war, but it still felt like yesterday to those who cared for her.

However, he also knew that that wasn't all that she was worried about. Her eyes kept glancing back at the castle for signs of an approaching giant, but found none. One of king Odin's strongest generals, aside from Shinku, the valkyrie general, was Brigan, a giant who had served Ragnanival for years.

Although he had served Ragnanival for years, everyone still had their doubts about him, especially the royal twins. Shinku had expressed her worries time and again about the possibility of Brigan betraying their kingdom and their father, but they could find no proof of such thing.

Not yet, anyway.

"Guard, what is the situation?" Shinichi asked as he stood a couple of feet away from the valkyrie.

"Lord Brigan has not come yet, Prince Shinichi," the valkyrie said with a defeated sigh. "How fare the soldiers on the front line?"

"We'll survive," Shinichi said, sighing himself. "Once King Odin and Lord Brigan come, I will go to the front line myself and confront the fairy queen."

"No," the valkyrie said as she frowned. "It's not that I don't trust you, milord, but even General Shinku might not be able to defeat Elfaria, the fairy queen. We cannot lose the other half of the royal twin. We cannot lose our future ruler."

"Don't worry, I won't die that easily," Shinichi said with a small smile on his face. "I will make this spear live up to the name Shinku gave it. Gungnir, the spear that never misses its target."

"If you say so, milord," the valkyrie said as she bowed at him. "But please go with caution, and may the blessings of Erion be with you."

"Thank you, knight," Shinichi said. He stared off into the distance, then nodded. "It looks like King Odin and Lord Brigan are here. I will be going off first. Please notify them of it."

"Of course, milord," the valkyrie confirmed as she bowed again. "Be safe."

Shinichi nodded curtly and rushed off to the front line. One of the advantages of being a valkyrie was the ability to fly and glide in the air. It was even more important because all fairies could fly, and if they couldn't keep up, they would be the ones to die. He looked at the soldiers of Ragnanival fighting the fairies, and after deeming that they would hold up well without his assistance, he pressed onwards to where the fairy queen was.

The fairy queen was a beautiful woman with large, butterfly-like wings. Her wings were strong, solid, and colorful. A crown of flowers adorned her head. She was beautiful without looking frail, and Shinichi knew well that the fairy queen was a very powerful mage that he couldn't underestimate.

However, just like his own father, the fairy queen Elfaria was a power-hungry person. Her weapon was a red crystal-tipped crossbow—a Psypher, like Gungnir. He knew why Odin and Elfaria fought for the Crystallization Cauldron, an object capable of producing Psypher crystals. Unlike normal weapons that wear down as they fought more and more battles, Psyphers absorb the life energy of the ones killed by them and grow stronger instead.

"Oh ho, if it's not one of the royal twins," Elfaria said when she saw Shinichi. "What do you wish to accomplish here, kid? Are you that desperate to follow your sister's path that you recklessly come here to play hero?"

"You have no right to speak of her in that way," Shinichi said angrily. "She died an honorable death for her kingdom. If you speak one more disrespectful word about her, you shall be condemned to an even worse fate than hers. That you would die a pointless death!"

"Oh, I'm scared," Elfaria said with a teasing smile on her lips. "I never knew the royal twins were famed also for witchcraft. Did she also put a curse on other people and it somehow backfired on her?"

"That was the last straw, fairy queen Elfaria," Shinichi said as he held his hand up, letting a small, glowing orb form above his palm. "You shall die a pointless, unhonorable death, and no one will mourn for you."

"I'm not scared of such talk," Elfaria said as she scoffed, even after the orb exploded into a flash of bright light. Most of the valkyries nearby looked to see who was cursed by Shinichi, but then returned to their own fights when they saw Elfaria. "Try to kill me if you could."

"It's not my place to kill you," Shinichi said calmly. "I will do all I can to bring Ragnanival to victory. You have something you kept as a last resort, don't you? I shall fight him."

Elfaria laughed. "How foolish of you," she said. It was now her turn to raise up her hand and produce a glowing red orb. "If that is what you wish, then do as you will. Come, my faithful servant Belial. I have found a perfect dinner for you."

The orb exploded in a flash of red light, and suddenly a huge dragon towering over them appeared, staring down at Shinichi with cold, hard gray eyes.

"Belial the dragon," Shinichi mumbled as he raised his spear up. "Why have you submitted under her? Had she defeated you? Did she make a pact with you?"

The dragon roared, spreading its wings wide and looked back down to stare at Shinichi.

"I understand. I shall do my best to release you from this bond," he said as he spread his own wings. The wings were sewn onto the valkyrie armor, and controlled at will by those wearing the armor.

Elfaria laughed. "Well, do your best then, foolish prince."

She then flew away, but was quickly intercepted by Odin who had arrived at the battleground. They moved to a wider space and began their fight. Odin also owned a blue Psypher, the huge spiked metal ball he named Balor. No one dared to disturb their fight, so the knights fought against knights while watching, making sure their ruler wouldn't die.

Meanwhile, Shinichi was struggling against Belial. It was true that Belial was much slower compared to him, but its size more than made up for it. It could reach farther than he could dodge sometimes, and he knew this would become a losing battle if he didn't find out its weak spot soon.

The fight dragged out for long and for once, Shinichi began to fear for his life. His vision had become slightly blurry and he knew he couldn't take more blows from the dragon. If he lost more blood, he would die for sure.

Suddenly, loud cheers were heard from behind him, and he flew up to see what it was about. It seemed that Odin had won the fight with Elfaria, and the wounded fairy queen had retreated, taking her army of fairies with her. However, Belial remained.

Shinichi landed on the ground and was about to pierce the dragon's heart when the red tip of a Psypher crystal went through the thick, scaly skin of the dragon. Belial roared in pain before it fell down, obviously dead, and the owner of the Psypher sword pulled it out from its carcass.

"You!" Shinichi exclaimed in surprise. "You are the Shadow Knight! Why are you helping me?"

"Whoever said I'm helping you?" the knight asked coldly. "Don't flatter yourself. This is my way of taking revenge against those people."

"Why?" Shinichi asked, frowning.

"It's none of your business," the knight said, and he disappeared with a flurry of black shadow.

Shinichi was still confused when the valkyries rushed up to him to announce their victory and bring him back to the castle. He, however, decided to take a look at the Crystallization Cauldron, to see what kind of object could cause such a great war.

Meanwhile, Elfaria was surrounded by healer fairies and some of her trusted advisors, as well as a tall man named Melvin who had become her lover for some years now.

"The wounds aren't that deep," the dwarf advisor said as he frowned. "However, there is something that is stopping our healing magic from closing them. Also, as time goes by, the wound gets deeper."

"What?" Elfaria asked in shock. "So his curse is real?"

"Who?" Melvin asked. "You don't happen to have been cursed by the prince of Ragnanival, do you?"

"Exactly," Elfaria said as she growled. "I thought he was just all talk."

"No, the princess was famed for her fighting skills. He was famed for his curse," the dwarf advisor said as he shook his head. "Though he doesn't curse anyone often. Oh well, I guess there's nothing we can do now if he had cursed you to death. You're just another victim of this war."

"_You would die an unhonorable death, and no one will mourn for you."_

Shinichi's words flashed through her mind as Elfaria sank to her knees, more and more blood pouring out from her wounds. "Is this my end?" she asked herself. "I'm so... foolish."

As Elfaria lay to meet her inevitable death, the valkyries were regrouping their troops and preparing to head back to the castle with the Cauldron. Shinichi had gone off first to check on the condition of the Cauldron. When he arrived there, he saw a young woman with short strawberry blond hair dressed in a long robe and carrying a chain with two red crystal tips—no doubt another Psypher weapon, standing before the Cauldron. The blazing fire in the Cauldron had died and the metal framework had cooled down.

"This object is a cause of many wars," the woman said as she stared hard at the Cauldron. "Also the cause of misery. I will not let anyone use this for their personal gain. Not Odin, and not Elfaria."

With that said, the woman went off, leaving Shinichi to stare blankly at her and at the Cauldron.

"What was that all about?" he asked himself, but then decided that he would know in due time.

**End of ****Chapter One**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

**rirspaw**: I can't guarantee this fic will retain that "cool" feeling all the time, but I try to at least include some "cool" bits like that in most chapters :D glad that you like this universe though


	3. Battle in the Forest of the Witch

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: a quick question for all my readers: do you like Shinku or not? :D to me, she is a fun character to write, because she's Shinichi, but not only does she have the opposite gender, she has the opposite personality as well. Not that I want all of you to like her just because I do, so I just want to know :D (so I can properly apologize if you don't :P)

As usual, reply to anonymous reviews is at the bottom :D

**Chapter ****Two – Battle in the Forest of the Witch**

"What's wrong?" Shinichi asked as he walked over to where Odin, Brigan, a couple of valkyries and Ran, his caretaker and companion, was standing. "Oh, the Cauldron. Is there something wrong with it?"

Ran stepped back from the Cauldron they were surrounding, her look troubled. "Hm... well... we found out that the Cauldron has been deactivated. It's not working."

"How could that be?" Shinichi asked in surprise. "Oh... that woman..."

"Do you know something?" Odin asked. "What woman?"

"When I went to check up on the Cauldron after the war yesterday, I saw a woman standing beside it," Shinichi replied. "She said she won't let anyone use the Cauldron. Not you, not Elfaria."

"Does she have a Psypher weapon?" Brigan asked and Shinichi looked at him suspiciously before he nodded slowly. "Then I believe it's truly the Forest Witch. I'll go catch her right away."

"No, there must be a way to activate this," Odin said as he frowned. "It's easier to deactivate than activate. She might not be able to activate it."

"But she might know how to," Shinichi added, and Odin frowned at him. "I'll go fetch her."

"No," Odin insisted. "Knights, bring the Cauldron to the vault for safekeeping."

"Yes, Your Highness," the valkyries all said in unison before they went to fetch some giants to carry the Cauldron to the castle's treasure vault.

"I'm still going," Brigan said, smirking. "I'm not as patient as you are. It'll be faster to just ask her," he finished, then went off to the Forest of Elrit, where the Forest Witch was rumored to live.

Shinichi watched Brigan go, then turned back to Odin. "Shall I go fetch her now?" he offered. "I'll get to her before he does."

Odin sighed, rubbing the temple of his head. "You will be the death of me, children."

"Father," Shinichi started hesitantly, gauging Odin's response. "Do you love Shinku?"

Odin's eyes darkened, and he turned around, walking towards his chamber. "Go and bring me the Forest Witch."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Shinichi said as he bowed at Odin. Ran threw him a sympathetic look, but he merely smiled at her and dismissed it.

"Shinichi... Shinichi..." a phantom blue bird asked as it flew around him in circles. It had started appearing to him and no one else a couple of days ago, keeping him company and sharing his burdens. "Why do you go to such extent?"

"There's a secret he wishes to keep," Shinichi said. "And I don't trust Brigan. It's better if I'm the one to find the secret out."

"Even at the cost of your heartbreak?" the blue bird asked sadly.

"Yes... even at the cost of my heartbreak."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Aided by his wings, Shinichi reached the Forest of Elrit way before Brigan did. However, for fear of getting stuck he avoided gliding through the trees. It wasn't hard to find a small hut in the center of the forest, though. It was surrounded by swamp and a large clearing.

"You again," the Forest Witch said as she walked out of her hut. "What do you want from me?"

"How do you reactivate the Cauldron?" Shinichi asked. "I only need to know that."

"What for?" the Witch asked, staring hard at him. "It's an object that has caused endless wars and suffering. My mission is to destroy it for good."

"A giant general is heading this way," Shinichi said. "I don't like or trust him, so I beat him here. You should go. I don't want him to find you."

"Why not?" the Witch asked again. "Aren't you going to try and torture me to make me tell you?"

"I'm not that low," Shinichi protested, frowning at the woman. "And King Odin doesn't seem to want him to find you too."

"My, that's new," the Witch said cynically. "I never thought he cared."

"Who are you?" Shinichi asked. "Where are you from? Why are you living here all by yourself?"

"What do you care?" the Witch scoffed as she turned and started to walk off. "You have lived the life of a loved child all your life."

"That's not true," Shinichi retorted, surprised and hurt. "My sister died trying to get my father to acknowledge her."

"Odin..." the Witch mumbled. "He's a cause of misery too."

"Do you know him personally?" Shinichi asked curiously. "What wrong has he done to you?"

"He lied to my mother," the Witch said, turning back around to look at Shinichi. "He seduced her and caused the fall of Valentine! It was all because of him!"

"What—you—"

"I am one of his child," the Witch said finally. "An illegitimate child he had while he was in the Kingdom of Valentine. My mother got pregnant because of him, and my grandfather went insane with fury. He killed my mother and nearly killed me too."

"I... I'm sorry..." Shinichi said uncertainly, taking a step back from the Witch. "I didn't know—but..."

"While I live here all by myself, you live with him, loved by him," the Witch said. "Don't think I didn't see it. I witnessed your sister's death. He was weeping by her side."

"Father? That's impossible," Shinichi said as he shook his head. "No..."

"My, my, what do I have here?" a boisterous, low voice spoke from behind him and Shinichi instinctively turned around to face the giant towering over him.

"General Brigan," Shinichi said as he glared at him.

"Two of Odin's children fighting over the love of their father," Brigan said. "How sweet. I wonder what he will do to this bastard child of his..."

"You will not lay your hand on her," Shinichi said as sternly as he could. "Run, Witch!" he shouted as he tried to hold onto Gungnir properly, but he wasn't quick enough.

Shinichi yelped in pain as Brigan back-handed him, throwing his whole self off until he hit a tree and sank down to the muddy swamp, groaning as he struggled to get up.

"Shinichi!" the Witch shouted as she rushed over to him, but Brigan was quicker. He grabbed onto Shinichi with his huge fist and tightened his hold. "Release him!"

"Oh ho, worried, are you?" Brigan asked mockingly as he stared down at the Forest Witch. "You will come back to Castle Nebulapolis with me. I wonder what punishment he will give you. After all, you deactivated the Cauldron and hurt his other child so."

He then turned towards Shinichi. "And you won't say a word, will you Prince?" he asked in a sugary sweet tone, tightening his grip on him and nearly breaking his arms.

"I will kill you," Shinichi grunted out as he struggled to breath in Brigan's tight grip.

"Is that a curse?" Brigan asked, smirking at him while Shinichi kept silent. He then turned back to look at the Witch, and motioned at her to follow him. Once they were close to Ragnanival border, he tied her up and carried her while telling Shinichi to follow him.

"Prince!" Ran exclaimed in terror when she saw the state Shinichi was in. "What happened to you?"

Shinichi chanced a glance at Brigan and the Witch, then quietly shook his head. Ran stared at him and nodded in understanding, letting the matter slide.

"We've found the offender," Brigan said as he pushed the Witch forward roughly, towards Odin. Shinichi refused to look at Odin, opting to stare at the floor instead. "What do you want to do with her?"

"Tell me, what is needed to reactivate the Cauldron?" Odin asked.

The Witch looked over at Shinichi, then sighed. "Titrel," she answered. "The fabled ring Titrel, which is said to be in the stomach of the dragon Wagner. Only it can reactivate the Cauldron."

"I see," Odin said. "Throw her into the dungeon. I'll decide what to do with her tomorrow."

"Father, I—"

"No," Odin said sternly, cutting off whatever Shinichi was going to say. "Go back to your room and make yourself presentable."

Shinichi looked down at his soiled armor and sighed. "Yes, Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly at him. However, he waited until the valkyries took the Witch away to the dungeon and Brigan went back to his post, looking dissatisfied, before he finally walked back to his room.

**End of ****Chapter Two**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: xD I had a feeling it was you, but didn't dare say anything for fear I was wrong

There you have her :D in the game, the valkyrie has a Pooka (rabbit-like creature) caretaker, and I had Ran fill that position. I don't like the idea of Heiji-Ran and Kazuha doesn't seem to fit an older sister role. But I can't see anyone in the DC being Shinichi's sibling, really. Aside from Kaito maybe, but then again, all my DC fics are KaiShin so he can't be Shinichi's sibling either :P

It's a habit of mine whenever I have more than one favorite pairing in a fandom to split the character into two and pair them up with each... in this fandom's case it's KaiShin and HeiShin, so Shinku will most probably become a permanent character in all my fics. Apologies beforehand if you don't like her :3 do you?

Also, I don't like some of the canon pairings, esp. those that are very prominent in the actual manga (not very much, anyway), so I try not to make Ran, Kazuha and Aoko appear too much. I was afraid some people might expect there to be "something" between the canon pairings while I have none, so... yeah. Anyway, I'll stop babbling now :3


	4. Sinking in Sadness

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: third chapter :D my last exam was earlier today, so I officially have nothing to do now for a couple of weeks before a hellish semester starts -_-;;;

Anyway, I haven't been continuing this fic yet, but I still have a couple of chapters left to stall some time while I try gathering my muse and continue this :P enjoy~

**Chapter ****Three – Sinking in Sadness**

It was late morning, slightly before noon. Right after breakfast, Shinichi had retired to his room to contemplate on some things. Brigan had forced Odin to make his decision soon and he had said that he would hold the trial on what to do to the Witch sometime after noon.

Dressed in a simple, blue royal robe, Shinichi walked out to the balcony and stood there, grasping the marble railing as he let the breeze to blow through his hair, mussing it slightly. The robe looked like a woman's robe because both Shinku and him shared the same clothes when not on the battlefield, but Odin had specifically ordered the seamstress to make the robes suitable for both of them.

"Why the long face?" the phantom blue bird asked as it appeared in front of him yet again, hovering right at his eye level. "Are you waiting for your prince charming to come save you?"

Shinichi sighed as he remembered the kind young prince he came across a long time ago. He was so positive and vibrant, full of hope and great expectations in life. "I wonder how he is doing. They say he's been missing and hasn't been found. Hopefully he's still alive."

The blue bird said nothing for a while, and suddenly moved to another topic. "Are you worried for the Witch?" it asked. "After all, what will happen to her will be decided soon."

"I suppose I am," Shinichi said. "I won't let her die though," he added resolutely, turning around and walked back into his room.

"Why not?" the bird asked as it flew inside, following Shinichi and perched itself on top of the wardrobe while he changed to his valkyrie armor.

"She made me realize an important thing," Shinichi said as he grabbed Gungnir. "She made me realize that Father does love us, even if he doesn't show it. I'm thankful to her for that."

"Also, Father has lost enough of his children," he added. "I can't let Brigan do whatever he wishes. I'm sure he's not loyal to this kingdom. He even attacked me."

"Shinichi... Shinichi..." the bird said as it flew around him again, "don't make the wrong choice. I believe in you," it said before disappearing.

Shinichi exhaled deeply, then walked out of his room and into the main throne room, where Odin was.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

When Shinichi arrived at the throne room, the mock trial had already started. The Witch stood in the middle of the room, facing Odin while Brigan stood guard behind her. Some valkyrie guards were standing around them and he noticed that aside from still being bound, her red-tipped Psypher was currently held by Ran on Odin's order.

"I tell you, sacrifice her to Wagner!" Brigan exclaimed angrily and impatiently. "Then he will let us have Titrel for sure."

Odin sighed angrily and shook his head. "Wagner is a ferocious dragon. He will not let you have Titrel that easily," he retorted. "You will have to kill it first before you can claim its treasure."

"Fine," Brigan said. "Then we can attack while he is consuming her, can't we?" he asked, smirking evilly. "Either way, I will be taking the Forest Witch to Wagner's lair," he said decisively, not leaving any room for argument before he literally dragged the Witch off with him. The valkyries standing beside simply stood watching, not knowing what to do.

"Your Highness," Shinichi said quickly as he walked up to Odin once Brigan was out of earshot. "Please give me permission to chase after them to Winterhorn Ridge, to Wagner's lair," he added as he kneeled before Odin.

"No," Odin said curtly. "You're no match for the dragon. You couldn't even kill Belial."

Shinichi inhaled sharply as he remembered the battle with Belial and how the Shadow Knight had intervened. He knew that if he hadn't, he might've lost the battle.

"It might be so," Shinichi started, frowning slightly, "but this is injustice. She'll die in vain."

"No is no," Odin said as he glared at Shinichi. "Go back to your room."

Shinichi stood up slowly and stared down at his feet in contemplation. It was then the blue bird appeared again. It always appeared to him whenever he was having some sort of a dilemma.

"Shinichi," the blue bird said gently, flying in front of him, "do you really wish to save her that badly? Even at the expense of your own life, your future and your everything?"

"Father loves her, doesn't he?" Shinichi asked softly. "He loved her mother and her. That's why he insisted on letting the Forest Witch go unpunished before Brigan caught up to us."

"That might be so," the bird said, as if pondering over the matter. "But are you willing to risk your life for someone you don't even know?"

"I'm going," Shinichi spoke up suddenly, much to the surprise of Odin, Ran, and the other valkyries. "I will go to Winterhorn Ridge and catch up with them."

"Why?" Odin asked, almost angrily. "You don't even know her."

"True," Shinichi said sadly. "But she is still your child. I know you love her and her mother. That's why I can't let her die. She's innocent too, and I won't let Brigan sacrifice an innocent life for his personal gain."

Odin stared at him hard, but Shinichi stared back at him unwaveringly.

"You do realize that going after them and saving her is an act of treason, don't you?" Odin asked again, frowning. "You're saving an enemy of this kingdom. An offender of this kingdom."

"Yes, I do realize that," Shinichi said as he nodded. "I also know that the punishment is the long sleep."

"And you're still willing to go through it?"

"Yes, Father," Shinichi said, not even pausing to think anymore. "I will endure the punishment if I could save a live."

"My children, why do you continue to grieve me so?" Odin asked as he sat down on his throne, rubbing his face tiredly. "Is it not enough for Shinku to pass on to Endelphia, the accursed queen's kingdom?"

Shinichi kept silent, waiting for what was to come. Ran stared at him in worry, unconsciously gripping onto the Psypher chain tighter. The other valkyries were also getting restless.

"And now I'm supposed to stay silent while my other child decides to let himself be treated like an object by a man?" Odin said angrily. "I will keep you here even if I have to lock you up in the dungeon."

"My deepest apology, Your Highness," Shinichi said as he bowed at Odin, "but I have made up my mind."

Just then, he turned towards Ran, who looked surprised at the sudden declaration and movement. Taking advantage of her surprise, he caught her off guard and snatched the red-tipped Psypher chain out of her hands and ran off towards the front gate, carrying Gungnir in his other hand.

"Guards! Catch him!" Odin shouted.

The valkyries were surprised at the sudden command, and ran to catch up to Shinichi. As soon as Shinichi reached the front gate, he jumped and glided in the air towards the snowy mountain to the west of Ragnanival. Another thing he got from Shinku was a red pendant, a fire amulet that kept the wearer warm even in harsh, cold conditions. She always said it was given by someone special to her, and along with Gungnir, she gave it to Shinichi for safekeeping.

She never told him who it was that gave him the amulet, although he could guess who it was. Before the battle that saw her dying in the middle of a battleground, she had said that her only regret should she die was that she had to leave him behind.

Once he was sure he had lost the valkyries chasing after him, he slowed his flight and stopped at the foot of the snowy hill.

"Winterhorn Ridge," Shinichi said as he looked up, watching as the snow fell. "Hopefully they're not that far yet," he added to himself, and rushed up to the top.

**End of ****Chapter Three**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: I'm glad you do :3 I'd feel bad if you don't. You'll see more of Ran than Shinku in this fic, I guess. She'll have more role later in the story xDD

What's RL? :3

xDDD yes, well, I like HeiShin, but not as much as KaiShin, so the second best is to let Heiji have the "other Shinichi" instead of the real one :P


	5. Battle on Snowy Mountain

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: the fourth chapter :D hope you will enjoy this one too. The end is a bit of a cliffy, but it's not that bad, really :3

Enjoy~

**Chapter ****Four – Battle on Snowy Mountain**

Shinichi reached the top of the mountain in time. Brigan and the Witch were there and Wagner was nowhere to be found. He managed to intercept them before they reached the dragon's lair.

"Oh ho, a surprise to see you here," Brigan said as he cackled evilly. "What are you doing here, Prince?" he asked mockingly. "Are you here to take the Witch's place as a sacrifice for Wagner?"

"I'm going to take you down," Shinichi said resolutely. "You never wanted Titrel to begin with. Your only purpose is to kill her and make King Odin look bad for sacrificing his own child!"

Brigan laughed boisterously. "That's right," he said as he grinned evilly. "That's why it doesn't matter who gets sacrificed between the two of you."

"Although," he added, his grin widening, "I think it'd be more devastating for him if the other half of the royal twin is to die, don't you think?"

"Shinichi, get away from here!" the Witch shouted at him. "This man is insane!"

"But I can't let you die!" Shinichi shouted back.

"I should've died a long time ago," the Witch added. "This is my overdue death in the hands of Wagner. You, on the other hand, have to keep on living."

"No," Shinichi replied. "You still have to destroy the Cauldron. And I won't let him try to overthrow King Odin this way!"

Brigan laughed and walked towards Shinichi. "What can you do, little prince? You're not the best knight on a battlefield. Are you going to curse me to death like you did to Elfaria?"

"I already did," Shinichi said angrily as he gritted his teeth.

"Oh? And pray tell, on whose hands shall I die?" Brigan asked in a mocking sugary tone.

"It is on mine."

Shinichi's eyes widened when he heard the voice. "Shinku?" he asked, looking around, but seeing no one. He frowned in confusion when the blue bird suddenly appeared.

"Shinichi... dearest little brother... let me lend you my strength," the blue bird spoke, resting on top of his shoulder.

"Shinku? You are Shinku?" Shinichi asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, I am keeping my promise of looking after you," the blue bird said. "And it is I who shall kill him. Let me lend you my strength."

"Yes," Shinichi said. "We'll kill him together."

Brigan and the Witch watched in interest as Shinichi's entire being glowed blue for a moment before it dimmed again, and he then assumed a fighting stance, gripping onto Gungnir tightly.

"Impossible," Brigan said in surprise. "That stance belongs only to the fallen general."

"Who is the fallen general, Lord Brigan?" Shinichi asked, but the voice was light and airy. "Who is fallen?"

"General Shinku!" Brigan exclaimed in surprise. "Why are you still alive!"

"We are one. As long as he lives, I live," Shinku said, smiling mysteriously. "Now then, prepare to answer the call of your curse."

The Witch watched as the battle unfolded in front of her. She used to wonder how a woman could ever be a general, but seeing Shinku fight, she found her answer.

Shinku was agile and strong. She controlled the valkyrie wings as if they really were her wings, and although Brigan was far bigger than her, she had no problem getting hits in and avoiding his wild swings.

"So this is the strength of the valkyrie general of Ragnanival," the Witch mumbled to herself as she watched the battle with rapt attention. After taking down all of his protective armor, Shinku pierced Gungnir through Brigan's heart, causing the giant to roar in pain and fall down dead.

After making sure he was really dead, Shinku sucked in all life energy from Brigan using her Psypher, causing it to glow a brighter blue and become slightly sharper. She then walked over to the Witch, carrying the red-tipped chain Psypher with her.

"Hello, Princess Shiho," Shinku greeted as she tore the ropes binding the Witch with her Psypher. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I could say the same to you, General Shinku," Shiho said as she smiled and accepted her Psypher back. "How do you know who I am?"

"I keep track of the owners of all Psyphers," Shinku said with a smile. "Graveryl is in your possession. Tasla was Elfaria's, so I think it might be passed down to her daughter now. And Belderiver..."

"The Shadow Knight," Shiho filled in. "He serves Ringford, doesn't he?"

"Not anymore, he doesn't," Shinku said. "I saw him in Endelphia. I don't know the full story yet, but Odette keep talking about how a man named Melvin promised to give him to her as a slave."

"Then Ringford is really falling apart," Shiho said. "Hopefuly it doesn't fall like Valentine."

Shinku simply smiled at her. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'll be returning to Elrit," Shiho said. "Oh, but I suppose I should introduce myself to your brother first. Is he aware of what's happening?"

"Yes he is," Shinku said. "Shinichi, this is Miyano Shiho, princess of Valentine. You can call her by name instead of Witch now."

Shiho chuckled. "I never thought that the royal twin of Ragnanival could share a body like this. It's awfully convenient, isn't it?"

"That's not true," Shinku said as she laughed. "I lied to make Lord Brigan panic. In truth, if it was Shinichi who died, he wouldn't be able to take over my body like I do now. He's the one with greater spirit energy, and even then, I can't take over all the time, only at times."

"I see," Shiho said. "So you currently live in Endelphia?"

"I can't go out of Endelphia, even if I want to," Shinku said with a grin. "My physical body is no more. I am doomed to stay there for eternity now."

"Is it that bad down there?" Shiho asked.

"Not really if you're a good fighter," Shinku said with a shrug. "The Halja keep on bothering me but they don't dare to attack me because they know I could kill them should I want to."

"Oh," Shiho said. "Do you see anyone named Hakuba Saguru down there?"

Shinku paused. "Yes, I did," she said. "Do you want me to say something to him for you?"

Shiho shook her head. "It's alright. Just let him know I'm grateful for what he did," she said. "And I'm glad you are unscathed in this battle. How did you get killed if you're that good?"

Shinku laughed. "No matter how good you are, you can get killed if there's no healer on your side and you're up against a hundred men, princess Shiho."

"Then it's purely bad luck on your side," Shiho said. "I'm sorry you had to die. I like you two better than those people of Ringford."

"Not just because we're half-siblings?" Shinku asked jokingly.

Shiho smiled at her. "Well, I better head back to Elrit now," she said. "But is it alright for him to come save me like this?"

"No," Shinku answered, "but he already decided to brave the punishment."

"What punishment?" Shiho asked in surprise.

"Killing a general of Ragnanival to save one deemed an enemy of the kingdom is considered an act of treason," Shinku explained. "And the worst possible punishment for a valkyrie is the long sleep."

"The long sleep?"

"Come, let's go down now," Shinku said, "and I'll explain it to you on the way down."

Shiho stared at her, then reluctantly agreed. "Alright, let's head down now."

**End of ****Chapter Four**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

Firepaw: if you suspected the blue bird was Shinku, then you're right :3 in the original game, everyone was made to believe that the blue bird was the valkyrie's 'inner self', but later on near the end of the game, it was revealed to be her fallen sister's spirit. This is the first time we'll see Shinku taking over. She'll take over once more later, and we'll get to see the real Shinku too :D

xD but don't Conan know KID as well? Well, he doesn't know Kaito, I guess, only KID... the Kaito in this fic is actually a more serious person, and I somehow miss the happy-go-lucky self xD but then again, the him in Pandora's Box is pretty much more serious than the canon Kaito as well, so I can't be protesting. Maybe later when I'm not basing my fics on games :3

Ah, I see. An MMORPG. I used to play a couple of them, but not anymore since my internet is slow and very much unreliable. I don't feel like dying over and over again just because it suddenly gets disconnected :P


	6. A Fate Accepted

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: next chapter :D I've been reading and playing a lot lately. Lots of inspiration but enough will to get them actually written xD

By the way, I finally made a twitter account, feel free to follow me :P it's visionnpassion and yes, there are two 'n' there because it's "and" :3

**Chapter ****Five – A Fate Accepted**

Both Shiho and Shinku were going down from the top of Winterhorn Ridge, and as promised, Shinku started explaining to Shiho what the long sleep was.

"Valkyries are proud people," Shinku said. "They serve as warriors for Ragnanival. They live to fight, and to them, it's better to die on the battlefield than be stripped off of their knighthood."

"Proud people indeed," Shiho agreed.

"Yes, well, the long sleep is just that," Shinku said with a sigh. "A valkyrie who has done a great mistake will not be considered a knight anymore, and will be put to sleep with a sleeping spell by King Odin himself. Their armor and weapon are taken away from them, and they are no different from a regular woman, unable to fight."

"And? When do they wake up?" Shiho asked.

"There are also men in our kingdom," Shinku added, "but they are barbaric men. They know nothing called manners or finesse. They fight with brute strength and they have no regard of anyone else."

Shiho kept quiet, wondering where the discussion was headed towards.

"Valkyries who have been put to sleep will be given to a man who is considered to have done a heroic deed for the kingdom. It is said that they can only be waken up by a kiss, and that the kiss will trigger a spell that binds the valkyrie to the man, forcing her to love him no matter how she is treated," Shinku explained. "To the barbaric men, however, they are not their wives. They are simply objects for them to produce their heirs with. I have seen a lot of valkyries, my fellow valkyries, treated like objects by those men."

"I am one of the lucky ones to have found someone else. Father knows of him and I'm sure I will never be given to one of those barbaric men, should I be the one to commit such act of treason," Shinku said, frowning. "But Shinichi isn't as lucky as I am."

"What—then don't go back!" Shiho exclaimed as she grabbed Shinku's arm. "Why are you going back to Ragnanival if you know such thing is awaiting you?"

"Because," Shinku started, but the voice had become slightly deeper, and Shiho knew it was already Shinichi talking, "he is still my father. I am still heir to the throne. I believe in King Odin. He will not let just anyone take me."

"Even at the risk of sleeping for the rest of your life?" Shiho asked as she frowned.

"Maybe if it's for the best, he'd let me do that," Shinichi said, smiling slightly. "Well, we're here. I guess this is goodbye now. Take care, Shiho."

"I don't know what to say," Shiho said. "You're such a strong person, Shinichi. I'm sorry for being so harsh on you back then."

"It's alright, I understand," Shinichi said. "I would have done the same if I were you."

"Prince Shinichi!"

Shinichi looked up and saw the valkyrie guards flying over towards them. "They're here now. Go, or you'll be caught again."

Shiho looked hesitant for a moment. "Alright, but know that I'm always ready to help if you need anything. I'll be at Elrit if you ever want to find me."

"Of course," Shinichi said. "See you, Shiho."

Shiho simply nodded at him, and rushed off towards Elrit, while he let himself be captured by the valkyries and taken back to Nebulapolis, the current castle of Ragnanival.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Shinichi sat on his bed, looking out of the big window that overlooked the sea. He was dressed in a royal robe again, as his armor and Gungnir were already taken away from him by Odin. He was told to change before returning to the main throne room for the punishment to take place.

A knock came, followed by Ran's voice. "Prince Shinichi? May I come in?"

"Come in, Ran," Shinichi said as he turned slightly away from the window, and watched as his long time caretaker walked into the room.

"Shinichi," Ran said as she sat beside him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," Shinichi said as he smiled slightly. "I'm sorry you have to see us like this Ran. I'm sure you're still mourning over Shinku, and already I hurt you again."

Ran sighed. "Shinichi," she started, "you're a great person. You have made the right decision. You saved not only an innocent life, but also this kingdom. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you Ran," Shinichi said. "Do you think King Odin thinks the same?"

"I'm sure," Ran said, smiling widely. "I believe he will not give you to just anyone. And you don't have to worry. I'll still look after you even when you're sleeping."

"You know, I've been wondering if I'll ever wake up again," Shinichi started, "and if I will, who is it that will wake me up?"

"I'm sure there's a good man who will come to wake you up, soon-to-be Sleeping Beauty," Ran said jokingly as she patted Shinichi's head. "Don't worry too much, alright?"

"I heard the most curious thing from Shinku," Shinichi started, and Ran looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "The Shadow Knight. She said he's currently in Endelphia as well."

"Oh?" Ran asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "Why? Isn't he one of Ringford's knights?"

"That's what got me confused as well," Shinichi admitted. "Back then, at the end of the war, I was still fighting Belial, Elfaria's dragon. I was trying to kill him when he suddenly came and killed Belial."

"He did? So it already started even before the end of the war?"

"I first asked why he was helping an enemy, but he said it was payback for those people," Shinichi replied. "I'm not sure who he's referring to, but I suppose one of those people is Elfaria."

"Then maybe he's talking about Melvin?" Ran suggested. "He's Elfaria's husband and his adoptive father. I heard that Melvin found him outside of Ringford's border, alone and badly injured."

"But then why?" Shinichi asked, frowning. "Why did he do such thing against his adoptive parents?"

"We won't know unless we ask him ourselves, will we?" Ran asked, squeezing Shinichi's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Shinichi. If you are meant to know why, you will know why."

"Prince Shinichi, it is time," a valkyrie said from behind the closed door, and the two of them looked up.

"Yes, I'll be there in a minute," Shinichi agreed, and the valkyrie left. The two then stood up and walked towards the main throne room together.

"Father," Shinichi greeted as he bowed at him. "Here I am."

Odin motioned for him to come closer, and held him in his hands.

"You know I don't want to punish you," Odin said.

"Yes, Father, I know," Shinichi said, smiling softly. "It's alright. This is my own decision. You are a just ruler. Do what you must."

Odin sighed. "You are making this very hard for me, child," he said. "Look into my eyes."

Shinichi looked up, straight into Odin's eyes. "I'm sorry for being a disobedient child."

"But you saved your sister and this kingdom."

"Yes, I did," Shinichi said. "This is the least I could do, for not being able to save Shinku."

"You have chosen this path for yourself," Odin said, "so don't regret it. This life is yours. Do to it as you wish. It doesn't belong to anyone. Not to me, not to Shinku, and not to your future husband."

"Yes... Fa...ther..."

And he fell asleep. A long, peaceful sleep.

**End of ****Chapter Five**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: xD the blue bird had very little role in the original game, and I decided to add more to her part :P it's because the actual role given to her in the game won't appear here :3

I prefer Kaito over KID, but it's much easier to write KID for me xD although I don't usually let KID appear on my fics... not much, anyway :D and I agree that AUs are different. That's why they're called AU :P


	7. The Prince of Darkness

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: there are twenty three chapters in this fic, including prologue and epilogue, and only five of them are told from Kaito's side xDDD the rest are told from Shinichi's side. This is the start of the series of chapters that are told from Kaito's side (basically because Shinichi is sleeping and he doesn't know anything :P) and up to chapter ten, they're all chapters told from Kaito's side. Enjoy!

Anyway, I have a reason why I haven't been posting anything lately :D I've just come back from a three-day trip so... yeah :D

**Chapter ****Six – The Prince of Darkness**

"Hello Kaito," a woman with light blue skin tone and beady eyes greeted as she grinned when she saw the Shadow Knight walking towards her. "How nice to see you. No doubt Melvin and Elfaria will flip when they know you killed Belial."

"They will never know," Kaito said as he scoffed, glaring at the queen of Netherworld, Odette.

"So I take it you know the full story of the agreement now?" Odette asked as she cackled evilly, glancing at Belderiver that was tightly grasped in Kaito's hand. "It's too bad that no matter how much you train, I can take it away so easily. Just with a flick of a finger."

Kaito kept quiet as he continued to glare at her.

"My, my, is that how a servant should look at his master?" Odette asked, her grin widening. "My knight..."

"Don't call me that," Kaito snapped as he took a step backward, but paused when he sensed the Halja lining up neatly behind him, blocking his exit.

The Halja are Odette's guards. They were not living creatures. They were created from Odette's dark magic, and they lived to serve Odette. They were spirit-like creatures who had no legs and floated about. They were dressed in heavy armors and carried a big lance everywhere they go.

"Only the tears of someone pure-hearted who whole-heartedly loves you can break the curse," Odette said. "Isn't it sad that your own father thinks no one will ever love you?"

"You will never escape me, my knight," Odette said as she reached out a hand to cup Kaito's cheek. "My handsome knight..."

"Don't touch me," Kaito said as he slapped her hand away. "I'm not bound by anything to you. It's that sorry excuse of a man who is."

"But your name is the one written in my book," Odette said, not deterred by Kaito's anger. "And you're the one who possess Belderiver. The Shadow Knight of the Underworld."

"Halja, show him his room," Odette said. "I shall come back with your first mission quite soon. I sense his presence nearing."

Two of the Halja floated over to Kaito and urged him forward, guiding him to a room. The paint was dark blue in color and the light dim. It gave the vibe of a place no one living would ever step a foot into. After the Halja left, Kaito took the liberty of looking around and see who else were in the Underworld.

"Shadow Knight?"

Kaito turned around and saw someone who looked exactly like Shinichi. He put two and two together and concluded that this must be the sister he was talking about.

"Princess of Ragnanival, I presume?" Kaito asked back.

"That's right. My name is Shinku," Shinku said as she smiled at him. "Thank you for sparing my brother during the war."

"I don't kill people for fun," Kaito stated.

"I know," Shinku said, her smile widening. "You are still alive, are you not? Why are you here then?"

"I wonder if I should tell you," Kaito said.

"Is there anyone I can tell it to?" Shinku asked as she chuckled. "Or anyone who's interested enough to hear it, at least."

"I guess you're right," Kaito said, sighing slightly. "Thank you, princess Shinku. You're very thoughtful."

"Been there done that," Shinku said. "Shinichi or I would have exploded without telling each other our secrets."

Kaito nodded. "When I was small, I was found half-dead outside of Ringford. Melvin took me in and adopted me as his son, and I grew up with Aoko, princess of Ringford, daughter of Elfaria. He gave me this Psypher sword and taught me how to fight. That was how I became the Shadow Knight."

"I was sent here and there on missions. I even went to Nebulapolis on an assassination mission to kill general Brigan," Kaito said, frowning slightly. "During the war, however, I accidentally eavesdropped on them talking. They said they would send me to the front line as a bait and distraction. He never thought of me as his son. I was only an object for him to get what he wanted."

"That's sad," Shinku said, pursing her lips. "Say, do you like my brother?"

"Why do you ask?" Kaito asked in surprise.

"That was the reason you hesitated, right?" Shinku asked, almost grinning. "That's alright, I won't tell."

"But—that—"

"Actually, I want to ask you a favor," Shinku started, suddenly dead serious. Kaito was surprised at how quickly she could change, but listened attentively. "My brother is being punished for saving the Forest Witch from being sacrificed to Wagner by Lord Brigan. He is currently asleep, waiting to be given to a man as his wife."

"The long sleep," Kaito said as he frowned.

Shinku smiled at him. "You know a lot, don't you?" she asked. "Well, if you do like my brother, why don't you ask for him? I'd rather hand him over to you than a man who could only treat him like an object and holds no respect to him whatsoever."

"You're handing your brother over to an enemy?" Kaito asked in confusion.

"You saved him from Belial," Shinku pointed out. "Although you said you did it as payback to those people, I know you wanted a reason to save him too."

Kaito stared at Shinku who stared back at him. "You're very perceptive, princess Shinku," he said. "I'm sorry you had to die."

"You're the second person to say that to me," Shinku said as she laughed. "Don't worry though. My only regret is leaving someone I care for all alone behind. You shouldn't have the same regret as mine. This is your chance, Shadow Knight."

"You were seeing someone?"

"Is it that hard to believe?" Shinku replied, her smile not faltering. "Yes, I was. I just hope he doesn't take it too badly. And hopefully he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Shadow Knight, Queen Odette is looking for you," a Halja said as he floated over towards them, and eyed Shinku.

"Well, that's your call," Shinku said as she patted Kaito's shoulder. "Just don't forget what I said. I wouldn't want him to be treated badly."

Kaito simply nodded and followed the Halja back to the throne room where Odette was, sitting on her throne made of bones. She looked positively enraged, but her features went back to normal when she saw him.

"My knight," she started, "the despicable man is here. He's trying to steal my crystals again. Take care of him."

Kaito knew who she meant. Not many people dared to go to the Underworld to get Psypher crystals. In fact, only Odin did, and that's why Ringford and Ragnanival fought for the Cauldron, an object capable of producing the crystals so they didn't have to go to the Underworld.

"Understood," Kaito said as he walked out of the throne room, and rushed towards a cavern at the far west side where the crystals were. There, he saw Odin who had just arrived at the Underworld and was trying to chip off some of the crystals.

"Hold it right there!" Kaito shouted and Odin looked at him in surprise. He was already at his back, holding Belderiver over where his heart was supposed to be. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you."

Odin calmed down slightly. "You are still alive, are you not?" he asked, and Kaito nodded curtly. "I'll take you back to Erion if you spare me. You can't break free by yourself, can you?"

"That's not good enough," Kaito replied, pressing Belderiver harder against Odin's armor.

"What do you want from me then?" Odin asked, clearly annoyed. "I will grant you one wish, and you'll be off my back."

Kaito snorted at the unintentional pun, rolling his eyes, but then smirked. "I've been waiting for you to say that."

"So spill. What do you want, Shadow Knight?"

"I want your son's hand in marriage."

**End of ****Chapter Six**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: do you even have to guess who he would be given to? :P when I was playing the original game, I didn't know the main characters were all paired up, so when the valkyrie woke up suddenly married to the Shadow Knight I was surprised (pleasantly, mind you :D), because the Shadow Knight is a nice, thoughtful person, and he's handsome too :P


	8. Trial

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: I'm so sorry for putting this up so late. I really have no excuse. But I do hope you'd like this chapter anyway :D if you do enjoy it, do leave a review :3 I'm a comment whore

**Chapter ****Seven – Trial**

"What did you say?" Odin asked as he frowned and craned his neck to stare at Kaito.

"I want your son's hand in marriage," Kaito repeated.

"Preposterous! What makes you think I'm going to hand him over to an enemy!" Odin asked in rage. Kaito allowed him to turn around and face him, but was quick to place Belderiver's tip against Odin's chest again.

"Then would you rather just die now and leave him unguarded?" Kaito asked simply. "Then the one thing you try to keep from happening will happen."

"How did you know?" Odin asked suspiciously. "How did you know what state he is in?"

"I have my source," Kaito said. "But if you must know, I met your daughter earlier."

"Shinku," Odin mumbled. "Is she well?"

"As well as one can be in this place," Kaito replied. "She's a strong woman," he added, and Odin grunted in agreement.

"But how did she know?" Odin asked again, still confused. "She was already dead when it happened."

"That, I don't know as well. You might want to ask her yourself," Kaito admitted. "Oh, I also want his armor and Psypher spear."

Odin sighed in defeat. "Well, if Shinku told you such thing, I guess it can't be helped then. I don't think there will be anyone else she will trust enough to tell such thing to."

"You love your children," Kaito said, "but why don't you show it to them? What was stopping you?"

"I have many enemies," Odin said, and Kaito looked taken aback. He was half expecting Odin to say he was keeping up an image of the strict ruler and so didn't want to spoil his children. "I don't want them to get hurt just because my enemies think it's a good way to hurt me. Shinku's death has made me decide to change my ways."

"I see," Kaito said softly. "If only I have such father."

"However," Odin cut in, "I'm not going to give him to you so easily. You have to prove yourself first. Prove to me that you're dedicated to him and will do anything for him."

"What is it?" Kaito asked.

"Kill Wagner, and I'll give you the old castle he's currently in as a bonus as well."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Shadow Knight," Ran said in alarm as she stood up quickly from her seat, taking a fighting stance should he try anything. "What are you doing here?"

"Calm, I don't mean any harm," Kaito said as he walked past Ran who was still eyeing him warily. "I've asked permission from King Odin to marry him."

Ran looked shocked. "What?"

"If I could kill Wagner, he'll be my rightful wife," he said, and Ran gaped at him, clearly at a loss of words. "Don't look at me like that. It was your princess who suggested I do so."

"Princess Shinku?" Ran asked, even more confused now. "When did you meet her?"

"I met her in Endelphia," Kaito answered, sitting on the king-sized bed and staring at Shinichi's sleeping face. "He actually looks like he's enjoying himself. I almost don't want to wake him up."

"Then don't," Ran said, frowning at him. "You know I still don't trust you, right?"

"I know," Kaito said simply. "I don't expect you to do so in such a short time. You'll come around one day. And so will he."

Ran sighed, sitting back down. "Have you heard the rumor about the kiss?"

"That if I kiss him he'll be bound by a love spell?" Kaito asked.

"Yes, that one," Ran confirmed. "You do know a lot about the customs of this kingdom, don't you?"

"I don't know why," Kaito admitted, "but I remember studying other kingdoms' custom a long time ago. A very long time ago."

"Who are you?" Ran asked. "Before you were taken into Ringford. Who are you?"

"That's the problem," Kaito said with a small smile. "I can't remember."

Ran nodded thoughtfully.

"Sometimes, I don't know what to think," Kaito started, brushing away the stray strands of Shinichi's hair from his forehead. "Sometimes I wish I had known of Melvin's plan long before, so I could avoid being on the opposite side of this war like this. Sometimes I even wish I was dead when he found me."

"You've liked him for a while now?"

"It started when I came here to assassinate Lord Brigan almost a year ago," Kaito confirmed. "He didn't see me then, and I only saw him for a very short time. Silly, isn't it?"

"Why are you so sure it was him and not princess Shinku?" Ran queried.

"Because he didn't have Gungnir then," Kaito answered. "And really, I'm not stupid or blind. I could tell."

Ran chuckled. "Well, that's a first," she said. "Most of the times people can't tell. It's just because Shinichi has this emblem of Titania that they could tell them apart."

"Emblem of Titania?" Kaito asked. "How did he get it?"

"A long time ago, when they were still little and I had just first gotten this job as their caretaker, Shinichi met the crown prince of Titania," Ran started. "He was in Elrit, hunting with a few soldiers of this kingdom, and the prince of Titania was too. They met up quite often for a while, and finally he gave Shinichi this pendant that is the emblem of Titania. After that, he went missing, never to be heard of again."

"So, that man was his first love?" Kaito asked, frowning.

"I wouldn't put it that way, but who knows," Ran said as she shrugged. "He could be dead for all we know. I know he's still hoping for him, but that doesn't mean you can't try."

"So you're trusting him to me now?" Kaito asked as he snorted and grinned.

"I'm just saying you can try," Ran said as she rolled her eyes. "I want to see how dedicated you are to him."

"You'll see then," Kaito said as he got up, taking his Belderiver with him. "Well, I have to go now. I have to kill Wagner before King Odin decides there's a better man for him to marry."

"Not likely to happen," Ran said, "unless you get killed trying to kill it."

"I sure hope not," Kaito said. "I'll be back soon. Unless Odette tries anything funny."

Ran waved at him. "Try to come back in one piece."

"Certainly," Kaito agreed, then walked out of Shinichi's room. "Well then, it's time to kill a dragon."

And he was off to Winterhorn Ridge, Wagner's lair.

**End of ****Chapter Seven**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: xD who would you rather play matchmaker? :P there's a reason for everything, yes? I had Shinku told him that so Odin could be slightly more lenient :P


	9. A Hard Fight and then Hope

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: I know, I'm aware, really, that it's been almost a month since I last updated -_-;;; I'm so sorry. I haven't been quite productive in my writing lately, especially since uni has started again and I'm now really going "full-time" as I have classes on every day. To tell the truth, I was waiting, hoping, for more reviews, until I actually forgot to update. Yes, that's my fault

I'm sorry, really, will try to update in less than two weeks. I promise. No matter how few reviews I get :P

**Chapter ****Eight – A Hard Fight and then Hope**

Kaito went up the Winterhorn Ridge, and saw a dark-scaled dragon with long horns that curled slightly to point forward, and claws that were infused to his wings.

"Wagner," Kaito said as he jumped and settled in front of the dragon. "Your time has come. I have come to claim Titrel from you."

Wagner looked up and stared at Kaito. "Shadow Knight," he said, roaring as he craned his neck and sat upright. "What do you wish to do with Titrel?"

"It's an engagement ring," Kaito answered. "And that way, hopefully, the Cauldron will not be activated."

"You killed Belial," Wagner said as he growled. "And now you have come to kill me."

"It's not my fault that Titrel is in your stomach," Kaito retorted. "I wouldn't kill you if I don't have to."

"You're lying," Wagner snapped. "You have come here with the intention to kill. And it's not because of Titrel."

"True, and I have to kill you," Kaito remarked. "I told you I won't kill you if I don't have to. But I have to, that's why I'm going to kill you."

Wagner growled. "Then we shall see if you are fit to do it."

Kaito raised up his Belderiver. "Indeed. Prepare to report to the accursed queen of Endelphia."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The valkyries instinctively raised their spears when the Shadow Knight walked into the main throne room of Nebulapolis, but then Odin waved his hand and they lowered their weapons again, although they were still staring at Kaito warily.

"You have returned," Odin commented as he nodded. "Have you killed the dragon Wagner?"

"I have," Kaito replied. "This is proof that I indeed have killed him."

Kaito produced a small ring from a small pouch he carry around with him. It was made from platinum, and it was a simple band, with no decorative shapes on it. However, all along the band was an inscription of protective magic. A magic meant to protect the bearer from curses and dark magic.

"Titrel," Odin said when he saw the ring. "Hand it over."

"No," Kaito said as he grasped the ring tightly in his hands, and the valkyries raised their spears again, although Odin waved his hand again, this time more curtly and impatiently.

"What do you wish to use it for?" Odin demanded.

"I know you want this to activate the Cauldron," Kaito said simply as he took a step backwards. "But I'm not going to let anyone reactivate it. This stupid war will have no end."

"There will be no end," Odin replied. "As long as Ringford still wishes for the Cauldron and Titrel, they will keep attacking Ragnanival."

"And yet if one of the kingdoms manage to activate the Cauldron, the other will surely fall," Kaito replied. "There shall be no kingdom with the same fate as Valentine. I will not let Ragnanival fall, but I don't want Ringford to fall either."

"I thought you hate your adoptive parents," Odin pointed out.

"The fairy princess," Kaito stated, "now probably the fairy queen since Elfaria is dead. She's a friend."

"Only a friend?" Odin asked suspiciously.

"Would I go through the trouble to kill Wagner if I like her instead?" Kaito asked back challengingly. "She never asks me to kill Wagner. Or get Titrel for her, for that matter."

Odin grunted. "So what are you going to do with Titrel?"

"I'll give it to him as a wedding ring," Kaito said. "Later when he wakes up."

Odin raised an eyebrow at him. "You do realize that he might give it to me, don't you?" he asked. "After all, he might still hold a grudge against Ringford for taking his sister away."

Kaito fell silent, but then smiled. "It's a gift," he said simply. "What he does with it after I give it to him is not my concern. He may do whatever he wishes with it."

It was Odin's turn to fall silent. "Valkyrie, bring Gungnir and Shinichi's armor to the old castle," he said to one of the valkyrie guards, who bowed at him and quickly went to the vault to retrieve the items.

"Thank you," Kaito said. "I shall take my leave now. I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"Shadow Knight," Odin called before Kaito left the main throne room. "Take care of him."

Kaito half-grinned at Odin. "My pleasure."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Shadow Knight," Ran greeted when he saw Kaito walking into Shinichi's room. "You returned."

"Won't want to miss this for anything," Kaito said as he grinned lopsidedly at Ran. "Although, can I take a seat?"

Ran stood up and allowed Kaito to wobble slightly towards the armchair. Once he was safely seated, he started taking off his black armor, wincing slightly as he did so.

Ran gasped in surprise when she saw the long gash along Kaito's left side, and a fresh scar along his back. It was a miracle he hadn't died from blood loss with such wounds. And to think he had reported to Odin first before he came back here. She decided he was a very strong person to withstand such pain and look like he was fine.

"Don't worry, this isn't the first time," Kaito said when he saw the look on Ran's face, and chuckled. "Could you get me some bandages?"

Ran said nothing and went to fetch bandages and some disinfectant. She helped him clean and treat his wounds, and when they were finished, Kaito slumped on the armchair.

"How did you get hurt so badly if your armor is still intact?" Ran wondered, noticing that the black armor was without damage.

"It's part of the curse," Kaito explained. "The armor is, I mean. It keeps renewing itself like new as long as I'm still bound by the contract."

"And how do you break the contract?"

"By the tears of a pure-hearted soul who whole-heartedly loves me, she said," Kaito said with a shrug. "I don't know if it's true though."

Ran fell silent and thought it over. "Is that Titrel?" she asked in surprise when she saw the ring around Kaito's ring finger. "So you did kill Wagner. Has King Odin given you permission to marry prince Shinichi?"

"I sure hope so," Kaito said with a sigh. "Oh, could you please get the door when a valkyrie comes with his armor and spear?"

Ran nodded. "You are a very dedicated person, Knight Kuroba. Are you going to wake him up now?"

"No, not yet," Kaito said grimly. "I don't want to wake him up if it means he'll be stripped off of his free will."

"So you don't mind marrying someone who hates you," Ran deadpanned.

"He'll come around someday, hopefully," Kaito said as he frowned, staring at his calloused hands. "There is, however, one thing that bothers me."

"And that is?" Ran pressed on.

"I don't know if I can stay here for long," Kaito said sadly. "That woman will surely catch on to my plans. I fear she's going to play dirty and drag me back there."

"Who are you talking about?"

"No one... no one important," Kaito said dismissively.

"But doesn't that mean you're going to leave him?" Ran demanded.

"I don't know," Kaito admitted. "I don't know what the situation is there. I can't say anything for now, but one thing is for sure."

"And that is?"

"I will never let go of him if I can help it."

**End of ****Chapter Eight**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: thanks for the review :D I like it when someone plays matchmaker too :P


	10. Study Time

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: again, such a long time before I updated. I'm sorry, again. schoolwork has been hectic, and I have many practical exams coming up. Also, I haven't been writing a lot lately, so... yeah...

Anyway, enjoy! Reply to reviews at the bottom as usual :D

**Chapter ****Nine – Study Time**

Kaito flipped through a thick book on the history and culture of Ragnanival. He gained access to everything in the old castle as promised, including the ancient library there.

Ran walked into the library carrying a cup of tea and placed it on the desk in front of Kaito. "You're still looking?"

"Yeah," Kaito said with a slight shrug. "There's bound to be a mention of something regarding the spell. A note by someone, an observation by a scholar, a memo from a mage, or something."

Ran sat in the chair opposite him. "How studious of you," she commented.

"Thanks, no one has ever associated me with that word before," Kaito said as he flashed a wide grin at her and grabbed his cup of tea, taking a small sip from it. "Black?"

"Jasmine," Ran answered. "The best of Ragnanival. It's prince Shinichi's favorite."

"He drinks tea?"

"He doesn't. This is the only one he can tolerate," Ran said with a smile. "But this is princess Shinku's favorite. They have differing tastes."

"I'm sure," Kaito mumbled as he placed the cup back on the saucer. "He looks girlier than her."

"He'll kill you if he knows you said that."

"Then he shall never know."

Ran chuckled. "I never thought you're such an... easy-going person, Knight Kuroba," she said. "The Shadow Knight is feared in Ragnanival. He must have seen you the same way too."

"I don't make good first impressions, Miss Mouri," Kaito replied. "Especially not in my demon form. I tend to scare people off before I even look at them."

"That's understandable," Ran commented. "But now that I know you, I'm glad you're here."

"Yeah, I know, your princess said the same thing," Kaito replied. "I don't want anyone else to take him anyway. I'd probably kill his husband."

"He'll either hate you more, or be grateful to you," Ran said as she laughed. "But really, I'm thankful you're here. I'm also glad you're a considerate person."

"I'm sure I wouldn't want to be put under a love spell by that freaky woman," Kaito answered easily, taking his cup of tea again. "I think I know how he feels."

"Well, what if you suddenly found yourself married to King Odin?" Ran asked innocently and Kaito nearly sprayed his tea all over the book. "I was just saying," she added as Kaito coughed.

"I didn't know I'm that bad," Kaito said as he massaged his temple.

"Oh, you're not, really," Ran said as she leaned over to pat Kaito's shoulder consolingly. "You're slightly better. So anyway, good luck on your research. I have to go back to his room and tend to him."

"Of course," Kaito agreed. "I'll see you around then."

Ran nodded and stood up from her seat. She walked over to the door and when she opened it, she came across an old man wearing glasses. He was a bit tall, and from the toned arms, Ran could tell that the man worked as a blacksmith, used to swinging his arm during tempering and forging.

"I got word that Young Master Kaito is here," the old man said. "Is he here?"

Kaito looked up when he heard his name called, and nearly dropped his teacup. "Jii!" he exclaimed as he quickly got up from his seat, leaving the thick book on the desk. "How did you know I'm here?"

"The Halja came looking for you in Ringford," Jii answered truthfully. "I knew then that you must've broken free from Endelphia, but only one person I know can break into and out of Endelphia; that is, King Odin. That's why I've come here to look for you."

"I see," Kaito said as he nodded thoughtfully. "I'm glad you're here though. At least I'm not alone in this kingdom."

Jii laughed. "You'll never be alone, Young Master Kaito. You're too charming."

"Thanks," Kaito said as he grinned. "Well, now that you're here, why don't you help me research something."

"Something that has to do with a love spell?" Jii asked.

"How do you know?"

"The valkyries told me," Jii replied. "They said they don't believe you're truly seeking a way around it. I guess they're wrong, hm?"

"It doesn't matter," Kaito said. "What they think is of no importance. They'll know the truth one way or another, and I don't mind being judged wrongly until that time comes."

"Queen Aoko misses you," Jii said.

"So she has become a queen now," Kaito said. "Good for her."

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Jii asked. "She's been looking for you too, but she can't come to enemy's territory."

"It's better for her to stay away from me," Kaito remarked. "I don't want to lead her on."

"So you know," Jii commented. "I see. Well, I'll help you then."

"You're popular," Ran commented from the side, and Kaito grinned at her again. "I wonder if prince Shinichi should be flattered to have you liking him."

"No, I should be the one flattered."

"Why?"

"Because of the emblem," Kaito said as he turned to look at Ran. "Not many know of this, but an emblem of Titania, the one he has on his person now, is actually a claim. The royalty of Titania will give it to someone they would want to claim to be their spouse."

"How do you know that?" Ran asked in surprise. "A claim? By such a young boy?"

"I've read it somewhere before," Kaito answered. "As to the third question, well, don't ask me that."

Ran still looked confused at the new revelation. She always thought it was a memento of some sort, not actually a claim placed upon the prince.

"Do you want to sit down, Miss Mouri?" Kaito asked teasingly and Ran threw him a dirty glare. "Well, I suppose since he is currently missing, unless he suddenly appears to claim him, I'm still his rightful husband."

"I don't know what to say," Ran said.

"Then don't say anything, it's alright," Kaito replied. "You should return to his room."

"Alright, I'll see you at dinner then," Ran said and excused herself.

"So, it's the long sleep punishment?" Jii asked as he picked another book on the culture of Ragnanival.

"Yeah," Kaito confirmed. "I have my own suspicions, but I can't be sure yet, and I don't want to risk it."

"Of course you wouldn't," Jii agreed, and they fell into silence as both skimmed through the books they were reading.

The silence, however, was broken when Ran suddenly banged the door open, panting slightly as if she had just run all the way to the library.

Or maybe she really did.

"Miss Mouri?" Kaito asked as he frowned, closing the book and getting up from his seat. "What's wrong?"

"Shinichi—it's... he's missing!"

**End of ****Chapter Nine**

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~

firepaw: I thought it was a bit sappy, but glad that you like it :P

icarusdg: hey there :D thanks for reviewing, really. I know how it feels, so I'm glad you decide to review after all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well


	11. Rise to Action and Invasion

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: finally (and I really mean FINALLY) I finish this chapter -_-;;; due to unforeseen circumstances (:P) there will be some quite major changes in later chapters, but well, you don't have to worry about them, really :3

Anyway, enjoy! This took me quite a long time to finish, so I hope it's not bad :D

**Chapter Ten – Rise to Action and Invasion**

"What!" both Kaito and Jii exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

"I went to check on him, but he wasn't there," Ran said worriedly, biting her lower lip. "What should I do?"

"Have you reported this matter to King Odin?" Kaito asked as he walked over to Ran.

"I told one of the valkyries to pass the message," Ran answered.

"Then I'll talk to him," Kaito said. "He might know who it is that took him away."

"I sure hope so," Ran said. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Kaito chuckled. "We'll bring him back. Try not to hang yourself," he said teasingly, and ran out of the room before Ran could kick him.

"I hope they'll come back okay," Ran mumbled and Jii smiled kindly at her.

"They will," he said. "Trust them."

"Alright."

Meanwhile, Kaito rushed into the throne room to find the throne already empty. A valkyrie who saw him there approached him quickly. "King Odin has just gone. He said he is going to Volkenon."

"The Fire Country? Why?" Kaito asked in surprise. "I mean, why would the Fire King abduct the prince?"

The valkyrie looked uneasy, shuffling her feet slightly in nervousness. "Well, I think you better catch up to them and find out yourself. I'm not at liberty to discuss such things, particularly because the involved parties haven't made it official yet."

"He was engaged to the princess?" Kaito pressed, and by the look on the valkyrie's face, he knew he must have hit a spot.

"Well... go see for yourself, Shadow Knight," the valkyrie said as she sighed. "Don't stay here too long or the prince will be taken away."

"Right, I'm off then," Kaito said as he bowed slightly at the valkyrie and rushed out of Nebulapolis, Odin's castle. The volcano country Volkenon was located to the southeast, nearly touching the borders of Ringford, but not quite. If Winterhorn Ridge was at the west, it was at the east. A total opposite.

As the Shadow Knight, one of his specialty was stealth. He snuck into the castle of the Fire King without being spotted by the Vulcans, fire spirits who assume human form to be soldiers of the Fire King. He then arrived at the main quarter, where the Fire King was, together with the still asleep Shinichi and Odin.

"Stop this foolishness at once!" Odin bellowed in rage, his eyes hard and cold. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm taking back what is mine!" the Fire King growled back. "You promised that should she fall into the long sleep, she will be given to me!"

"Hattori, open your eyes!" Odin shouted, his fists shaking with restrained anger. "Shinku can never be waken up from her sleep. You know that. Stop being so ignorant and accept that fact!"

"No!" Heiji shouted back. "You're lying! Shinku is the best general in the century. She can't die in a war!"

"And yet she did!" Odin retorted sharply. "Do you think this is any easier for me? What father wishes for his daughter's death?"

"I—"

"And if you keep this up, you are breaking the trust Shinku had in you!" Odin continued on. "Are you that low as to cheat on her with her own _twin__ brother_?"

At this, Heiji seemed to deflate. His figure slumped as all anger evaporated from within him. The flame that had been roaring was now calmly flickering, barely there.

"Why?" Heiji asked softly. "Why must she die?"

"No matter what you say, she's not coming back," Odin said harshly.

"But if this isn't her, why does he have the thing I gave her?" Heiji asked curiously.

Odin sighed, his anger leaving him as well. They were in the same boat—he, the Fire King, Shinichi, and even Ran. They were still mourning for the loss of their daughter, lover, sister, and princess. Ragnanival was still mourning the loss of their general, as if she had just died yesterday.

"Have you ever stopped to think that she gave it to him?" Odin asked. "She gave the amulet to him before the final battle that took her life. If it makes you feel better, they said the only thing she regretted was having to leave you behind."

Heiji gave him a wry smile. "I'm sorry then, for causing such a ruckus," he said. "Go and take your son back. I hope he'll be happy with whoever it is he's marrying."

Odin gave him a grunt of acknowledgement then walked over to pick Shinichi up from the four-poster bed where he was laying. He walked out of the chamber and saw Kaito hiding in the shadows. "Come to the throne room when you're back," he said in a hushed tone before he left with Shinichi in his arms.

Kaito paused, contemplating what he should do, then decided to walk into the King's chamber. Heiji looked at him strangely, then nodded in greeting.

"Shadow Knight," Heiji said, noting the armor Kaito was wearing. "What brought you here?"

"I'm here to offer my services," Kaito said. "Just once. I will do what you want me to do, but just once. It's a gesture of good will and apology for taking him away from you."

"Very well," Heiji said. "I shall call upon you if ever I need something."

"Excuse me then," Kaito said, then walked out of the chambers. As he made his way back to Nebulapolis and then Odin's throne room, he couldn't keep himself from wondering if he had made the right choice.

"Shadow Knight," Odin greeted when he saw Kaito walking into the room. "Go and wake Shinichi up."

"What?" Kaito asked in surprise. "But I haven't found—"

"There's no such thing as a love spell," Odin said impatiently, and it was only then that Kaito noticed there were no valkyries in the room. "No book will speak of a way of countering the love spell because it's non-existent in the first place."

Suddenly it all made sense to him. The love spell was made up to help keep the valkyries' dignities intact. After being stripped of their knighthood, they would no doubt feel helpless. Binding them with a love spell to their husbands would cause them to not want to rebel against them. If they knew that there was no love spell, the thought of rebellion would cross their minds again and again, but they would be harshly reminded of the fact that they were now helpless. To have the valkyries live in blissful ignorance, thinking that they didn't fight back because the spell wouldn't allow them was a better option for them.

"Why, though?" Kaito asked. "I thought you want me to keep searching until I die."

"Today's incident has made me realize how unsafe it is to keep him asleep," Odin admitted begrudgingly. "Although I'm not yet happy with this turn of event, it is better than having a repeat incident of earlier. His abductor might not be like the Fire King who could see reason and let him go."

"I see," Kaito mumbled. "Very well then. If I have your permission, I shall be excused to go and wake him up."

"You are excused."

Kaito bowed at the irate king and walked out of the throne room. All the valkyries that were usually standing guard in the throne room watched him in question, but he simply smiled at them and waved them off.

After all, he had a greater mission—waking up the Sleeping Beauty.

**End of Chapter Ten**

Actually, there was no explanation for the absence of love spell in the long sleep. The one I wrote above is purely my rationalization :D

This is the end of Kaito's segment :3 starting the next chapter, the main character will shift back to Shinichi, as he is finally awake.

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~


	12. The Fated Path

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: exam period is finally done and over with. Now all I have to do is twiddle my thumbs and hope for the best regarding the marks. I'll be heading back to my home country early December, and I planned not to spend too much time on my computer, so if I don't update much until late February, do excuse me.

That aside, I hope you enjoy the update :D

**Chapter Eleven – The Fated Path**

When Shinichi woke up, he felt like he had only slept overnight, not for the many nights he was sure he had slept. A quick question to Ran had revealed that he was asleep for almost two months now. Another question took much longer to be answered, but he finally knew the answer when the last person he expected to be there walked in through the door.

He had been married to the Shadow Knight.

Surprise and confusion were the first emotions to go through his mind, before he felt anger and betrayal. He couldn't believe he would be given to an enemy in marriage, but he didn't dare question King Odin's judgment. The fact that Ran had seemed so used to the Shadow Knight also surprised him.

Despite his initial reaction, he found himself getting used to the Shadow Knight, who insisted to be called by his name, Kuroba Kaito, fairly quickly. Upon waking up, Kaito had told him that the old castle belonged to him now, and that there were a couple of valkyries and dwarves standing guard in the abandoned castle. He had also returned Gungnir and his armor to Shinichi, much to his surprise.

After all, what was the point of the long sleep if not to strip a valkyrie from their knighthood? Having his spear and armor returned to him was the same as having his knighthood returned, therefore nearly nullifying the effect of the punishment, aside from the months wasted asleep and the unwanted marriage.

He was also thankful that the sleep hadn't affected him physically. He found that he could still fight, although still not nearly as well as Shinku could, and he had a heightened sensitivity to Shinku's voice. When Kaito was out of the castle on customary patrol missions, Shinichi spent his time practicing, guided by Shinku herself.

"Shinichi," Ran called as she walked into his chamber. Shinichi had just finished practicing for the day and was in his room, reading. It was a favorite pastime of his ever since he wasn't allowed to rejoin the ranks, because essentially he still had no right to.

"Ran," Shinichi greeted back, looking up from his book.

"How are you coping?" Ran asked as she settled in the armchair beside Shinichi's, which was situated to look right out of the huge glass door that led to the balcony. "He's treating you well?"

"He is," Shinichi admitted. "And it's made me curious. Why would he be treating me well?"

"I can't answer that," Ran said softly. "To see is better than to hear. If I tell you know, you won't believe me and everything he does will be seen through your bias-tinted glasses. I can't have that for him."

"Why do you stand up for him?" Shinichi asked, a hint of anger in his voice. "He caused Shinku's death."

"He didn't," Ran retorted. "He's merely a pawn in this war, just like most others. You can't blame him for doing exactly what you did—trying to please his father."

Shinichi paused. "Is he?"

"Ask him," Ran said, patting Shinichi's shoulder. "You'll see. He's not a bad person. I didn't trust him when he first came here, but I saw the real him and couldn't help but respect him. King Odin didn't let him marry you at first, but in the end he did."

"Why?" Shinichi asked, frowning. "How did he get into enemy region?"

"They met in the Underworld, supposedly," Ran said. "Queen Odette told Knight Kuroba to kill King Odin."

"So he asked for me in exchange of Father's life?" Shinichi asked, incredulous and angry.

"Why would he do that?" Ran asked back. "He could ask for the Cauldron. He could ask for this kingdom. He could ask for a position of power. He could ask for anything, Shinichi. Why did he ask for you?"

Shinichi deflated in his seat, his eyes shining in defeat and even more confusion. "I don't know," he admitted. "I honestly don't know, Ran. Why?"

"To save you, Shinichi," Ran said, smiling at him. "Everyone is trying to save you. Now please tell me you'll give him a chance."

"I don't know," Shinichi said. "It's only been a week."

"You don't have to love him back so soon," Ran said.

"That's the problem!" Shinichi exclaimed. "I don't want to love him so soon! He's an enemy!"

"What do you mean?" Ran frowned.

"The love spell," Shinichi said, and a look of realization flitted across Ran's features. "I can't take this anymore."

"Calm down," Ran said, squeezing Shinichi's hand consolingly. "You'll learn to love him truly. I promise you."

She could only smile as Shinichi kept silent. "Until then, don't be rash. Do the right thing," she said, and left him alone to think.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The next evening, Shinichi stood at the balcony, staring at the small ring adorning his left ring finger. That afternoon Kaito had come back to the old castle before he left again to go to Volkenon. Apparently he was summoned by the king, but no one knew what for.

During the few hours he was back in the old castle, Kaito had sought Shinichi out and gave him the ring as a wedding ring. He knew it was Titrel, and had asked Kaito why he gave it to him. Kaito only smiled at him and left, not saying anything.

The blue bird appeared and flew down, perched on the stone railing of the balcony.

"Shinku," Shinichi greeted as he kept staring at Titrel. "What should I do?"

"What do you want to do?" Shinku asked.

"I don't trust him, nor do I trust my feelings," Shinichi said as he bit his lower lip. "I don't know what to think anymore. Tell me what should I do."

"Do what you want, dear brother," the blue bird said, chirping softly. "You are your own person. Do to your life as you see fit. No one lays claim upon you."

"I don't understand," Shinichi said, his voice broken. "I want to love him, but I fear it's the effect of the love spell. I want to give Titrel to Father. Will he still love me if I don't give it to him? I want to activate the Cauldron and attack Ringford. I want to avenge your death."

The blue bird flew around him slowly before settling down again. "Shinichi, don't let others decide your decisions for you," she said. "Don't let me compel you to have revenge. Don't let father compel you to give him the ring. Do what you want, if you think it is right."

"I don't trust the Shadow Knight, not yet," Shinichi said. "I'm going to Nebulapolis."

"So you're going to give the ring to Father?" Shinku asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"He'll know what to do with it," Shinichi said, inhaling sharply. "What he does with Titrel is not my business. The blood that spills should the Cauldron reactivates will not be on my hand."

Shinku watched as Shinichi quickly change into his armor and grabbed Gungnir. Her eyes were cast down and she shook her head, chirping slowly before Shinichi was out of his chambers.

"Why are you running away from yourself, Shinichi?"

**End of Chapter Eleven**

I deliberately skipped the time to after Shinichi had woken up for a while. The time skip, however, is not great, only a few days or one to two weeks at most, I reckon, because Kaito would surely give Shinichi the ring without waiting for months :D

Well, that's it :D I hope you enjoyed that. If you do, please leave a review~


	13. Valkyrie March

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: I should be shot for not updating in a very long time. I've found a new fandom and have been writing for it lately, but now I'm stuck so I decided to visit old stories. I promise that this story will be finished even though it takes a long time because the outline is finished, and I still have the sequel to Pandora's Box that I wish to write :D

Anyway, hope you like!

**Chapter Twelve – Valkyrie March**

The moment he set foot in Nebulapolis, he knew something was off. The very air in the place felt different—thicker and heavier, filled with dread and suspicion. He inhaled sharply as he held tightly onto Gungnir, the metal band of Titrel digging into the flesh of his left ring finger as he did so.

One of the valkyries standing guard at the entrance noticed him, her eyes widening in shock. She looked around, making sure there was no one else nearby, then walked over to Shinichi.

"Prince, what are you doing here?" she hissed demandingly. "Do you want to die?"

"Why? What happened?" Shinichi asked in confusion. Although he had been punished, he hadn't been disowned, so Nebulapolis was still his home.

"The king asked for you to be killed on sight," the valkyrie explained, her tone laced with panic as she looked around still. "And I shouldn't even be talking to you!"

"What? But why?" Shinichi asked, shocked that his father would ask such a thing. Was it because he had been married to the Shadow Knight?

"I don't know," the valkyrie admitted. "The king hasn't been himself for a while now."

"Where is he?" Shinichi demanded.

"Prince, you can't seriously think of going up there alone!" the valkyrie protested. "You'll die!"

"No matter, I will not let this continue," Shinichi said as he scowled. "I fear someone is behind all this. Now tell me, where is the king?"

The valkyrie hesitated for a bit before she sighed. "The king is in the throne room," she answered. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't," Shinichi promised. "Thank you, Knight. When this is over I'll make sure you get a promotion for respecting the royal family."

"Godspeed, Prince," the valkyrie said as she bowed. Shinichi rushed inside and she returned to her post.

One of the advantages of being a valkyrie was the agility. Their armour didn't weigh even a quarter of the giants' or regular knights' armour so they could move fast. With the wing added, they could practically glide over the floor. It wasn't hard sneaking past the guards, but when there were so many guards that there was basically no blind spot left, it did get a bit tricky.

He was spotted by a guard as he was going towards the staircase that would lead up to the throne room. The guard notified his fellow guards and they were all on him.

"Not good," Shinichi thought to himself in panic. "I can't take these many guards by myself."

"You won't have to fight alone, Shinichi," Shinku's voice sounded at the back of his head, the tone soothing and comforting his frazzled nerves. "Look around you."

Shinichi did, and he was touched to see the valkyries standing in a circle around them, ready to strike when one of the guards make a move.

"Go on, Prince," the valkyrie who first saw him said. "We'll keep them here."

"Thank you," Shinichi said as he bowed at them. "I owe you all my life."

He made his way up the stairs and a guard made to go after him, but the valkyries were on him. The other guards were set into motion, but the valkyries outnumbered them and easily blocked their path. Shinichi was suddenly thankful that they had more valkyries in their army compared to normal guards. He knew the valkyries were more loyal.

He stood in front of the huge double doors leading to the throne room with dread in his heart. Gungnir was held tightly in his hand as he knew that whatever greeted him inside wasn't going to be pleasant.

With a decisive nod, he pushed the door open and saw Odin sitting in his throne, staring at him with thinly veiled amusement.

"Shinichi," he said. "I knew you would come."

Shinichi's eyes widened at the familiar yet infuriating voice. He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth in anger.

"Brigan," he hissed, walking forward so he stood in the middle of the throne room. "What are you doing here?"

"Why, claiming what is rightfully mine, of course," Odin said as a smug smirk graced his features. He stood up, taking Balor, the huge spiked Psypher ball with him. "This kingdom, Ragnanival, should be mine, not Odin's! He's a pathetic excuse of a man and he doesn't deserve to be king!"

"And you're a pathetic excuse of a living being, and you don't deserve to live!" Shinichi shouted at him. He phased with Shinku, a skill he had learned from days of practicing together with her. He was able to allow her to gain partial control of his body, helping him fight without really taking control of his speech and fine movements.

The fight was only slightly harder than the one on Winterhorn Ridge. Odin and Brigan both used heavy weapons and it slowed down their movements greatly, allowing Shinichi to sneak in and attack. However, he was still mindful because it was Odin's body that Brigan used and he didn't want to harm his own father.

"Shinichi, see that jewel on his breastplate?" Shinku's voice asked. "Knock it off and his hold on Father will cease."

"Alright," Shinichi agreed.

Shinichi rushed towards Odin's stomach. Odin flung Balor at him and he flew aside to avoid it. As Odin prepared to pull Balor back to him, Shinichi glided forward and attacked the jewel, knocking it off and shattering it into pieces.

Odin screamed in rage before he slumped forward, seemingly unconscious. A thick dark fog came out of his body and Shinichi glared at the leaving smog.

Once the fog cleared, Odin blinked his eyes open and stared at Shinichi.

"Father?" Shinichi asked uncertainly.

"Shinichi," Odin said. "What are you doing here?"

Shinichi visibly sagged in relief. "I came here to save you from Brigan," he answered. "The fool took control of your body."

"Odette helped him with it," Shinku said.

"Shinku said Odette helped him do it," Shinichi repeated what she said.

Odin's eyes widened slightly. "You can talk to Shinku?"

Shinichi nodded. "I've been able to talk to her even before the long sleep. Why?"

Odin's gaze softened a bit. "Tell her I love her," he said. "And that I regret not showing it to her. And you too."

Shinichi smiled and he could sense Shinku smiling too.

"I already know," Shinku said.

"We know, Father," Shinichi said as he bowed at Odin. "I, too, have come here to give you this."

He took off the ring resting on his left ring finger and presented it to Odin. Odin's eyes widened in surprise again.

"Are you... do you know what this is?" Odin asked as he frowned.

"It is Titrel," Shinichi answered. "I figured you would know what to do with it. It is yours to use."

Odin stared at him, but upon seeing his determined expression, opened his hand palm up so Shinichi could place the ring on his open palm.

"This is still your wedding ring," Odin said. "But I thank you nonetheless for your service to this kingdom. I hereby grant you your knighthood back."

Shinichi bowed in front of him. "Thank you, Father," he said. "Please excuse me. I wish to return to the old castle to rest. The guards have been commanded to kill me on sight, but the valkyries are doing a great job in keeping them at bay."

"I will have them cease fire as soon as possible," Odin said dismissively. "Be safe on your way back."

Shinichi nodded in agreement. He walked out of the throne room and closed the double doors behind him, leaning against it as he stared at the floor near his feet in thought.

He should be happy to be of use to his father. He should be happy that he had done something so great that he was granted his knighthood back. He should be happy that he managed to at least get his hand on Titrel so their fight with Ringford to gain the Cauldron didn't go to waste.

But he couldn't stop the silent tears that rolled down from his eyes as his heart clenched painfully, thinking on what he had done—he had given up his own wedding ring to continue a war that had claimed so many lives.

But the thing that surprised him was the fact that his heart also clenched at the thought that he had belittled Kaito's effort by regarding his token of love as a spoil of war.

**End of Chapter Twelve**

There's not much interaction going on here, but this is important for story progression. I could, of course, cut the scene short and add more interaction, but... well :P

Anyway, next chapter will have more of that "romance" thing. I hope. And I really hope that it won't take as long to update .


	14. A Quiet Investigation

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: I know I promised I would start writing when something happened, so this is a long overdue fic :( but hopefully you'll enjoy the update and forgive me of my mistakes :P after this fic is finished, I'll start working on Pandora's Box sequel. I won't let these be abandoned because the outlines are finished already

Another A/N: Alright... I deserve to be shot for leaving this on hiatus for so long. Something happened that put me off posting up fics during April-June, but I really have no excuse not to continue this . I promise I will not post any chaptered fic other than this until it's finished so I can move on to the sequel of Pandora's Box. Really! D:

**Chapter Thirteen – A Quiet Investigation**

"Hello, Shinichi," Ran greeted when he walked into his room in the old castle. "How was your trip to Nebulapolis?"

Shinichi paused, wondering if he should tell her, but then narrated the story of how Brigan had got hold of Odin's body with the help of Odette. Ran was angry at the general for doing what he did, he could tell, but there was nothing they could do.

"Oh, well," Ran said with a sigh. "Take a shower and have some rest if you will."

"Ran," Shinichi called suddenly. "Has the Shadow Knight returned?" he asked. He still called Kaito by his title instead of his name in a fit of stubborn rebellion.

"He's still in Volkenon," Ran answered.

Shinichi looked out at the darkening sky and pondered. Kaito usually made quick work of his missions, never stalling. He had been gone for hours and it was strange, as he always made a point of returning back to the old castle before night fall to spend the night there.

"Are you worried?" Ran asked as she joined him on the balcony.

"Of course I'm not," Shinichi said defensively. "Why should I be?"

Ran smiled indulgently at him. "It's alright to be worried for someone," she said. "I'm sure he's always worried about you too."

Shinichi stared at Ran, before he spoke up again. "You know something," he said. "Something that I don't know. What is it?"

"It's not my place to tell."

"I have the right to know," Shinichi insisted. "And he's not here to tell me. So tell me."

Ran hesitated, but Shinichi was stubborn. He wouldn't let it slide until she told him what he wanted to know.

"Very well," she agreed finally. "But I won't be hold responsible for this."

Shinichi simply nodded as a sign for her to continue.

"The reason I trust him now, is that because he tried to wake you up with another method so you won't be trapped under the spell to love him," Ran explained. "When he first came here, I was suspicious of him too, but gave him a chance because King Odin wouldn't have let him in here if he didn't trust the Shadow Knight. I was there with him and Jii-san, helping him in his research until that fateful day when the king himself told him that the spell was a lie. There was never a love spell placed upon you, Shinichi."

"But—but what about the other valkyries?" Shinichi asked as he frowned.

"There weren't love spells on them either," Ran said patiently. "They were made to believe it but it wasn't true and that was why there was a valkyrie who escaped after being abused by her husband."

Shinichi's frown was still there. He had a hard time believing that what Ran said was true. He knew Ran never lied to him, and she had no reason to. After all, they had known each other longer and Ran would never betray him for the Shadow Knight. However, he still didn't want to believe that what he felt for the knight was truly his own feelings, and not one forced upon him by a love spell.

"It's true."

Shinichi turned around to see the old man who had come to stay at the old palace and claimed to be Kaito's carer when he was still little.

"The Young Master is a troubled child who wants nothing more than acknowledgement. In that sense, you two are very similar," Jii said and he stared pointedly at Shinichi, as if trying to dare him to say otherwise. "However, he will never force a fate unwanted to someone else. The only reason why you slept for weeks is because he didn't want to wake you up and have you under a spell. He wanted you to have your own free will."

"I thought he's the best knight of Ringford," Shinichi commented.

"He is," Jii said sadly, "but his soul was traded in exchange for his Psypher. He never knew that."

Shinichi's mouth opened in shock. "Who did that?"

"None other than his adoptive father Melvin," Jii said. "He adopted the Young Master when he was but a wee child and trained him to be a killing machine. When he was of age, Melvin made a contract with Odette. She would give the Young Master a Psypher in exchange of his soul. That was why he could change to his demon form. I'm sure you've seen it."

Shinichi nodded tensely, remembering his first encounter with the Shadow Knight, at the night of Shinku's death.

"Because his soul is Odette's now, the Halja is constantly chasing after him," Jii said. "If he lets his guard down, they'll bring him down to be her servant. Especially now that he's not serving Ringford anymore."

"That's just cruel," Shinichi murmured softly, almost to himself. "Shinku and I at least both know that our father still loves us although he has strange reasons why he doesn't... but his father..."

Jii shook his head. "I have a theory, but I can't say anything about it for now."

Shinichi fell silent and thought it over. It was hard to believe, but suddenly Odin's reluctance in accepting Titrel made sense. He knew that they both did feel something for the other and he didn't want to get in the way of that with his own selfishness, but he didn't want to tell Shinichi the truth, probably because he wanted the Shadow Knight to tell him.

"I need to get Titrel back," Shinichi said suddenly and Jii stared at him curiously while Ran looked excited. "I'm sure Father will give it back to me if I asked."

Shinichi grabbed Gungnir and was about to make his way back to Nebulapolis to see Odin when a heavy feeling settled at the pit of his stomach.

"Ran, you said the Shadow Knight is still at Volkenon?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm afraid he's in trouble. Titrel will have to wait," he said. "I need to go help him first."

**End of Chapter Thirteen**

Truths are revealed, but denial is still there :P their relationship will progress again in the next chapter, me thinks. Hope you liked that, and if you do, leave a comment :)


	15. Battle in the Land of Fire

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: yep, a long time since I last updated again xD but at least this chapter is way better and a bit longer than the previous chapter :P enjoy~

**Chapter ****Fourteen**** – ****Battle in the Land of Fire**

Shinichi arrived in Volkenon not long after. Since he had reclaimed his armour and Gungnir, he was able to move fast like he did during his days of knighthood. Also, Volkenon wasn't far from Ragnanival, and that was why they've had peace treaty for as long as he could remember.

In fact, King Odin had promised Shinku to the current king of Volkenon and they were to be married next year. He feared that the king thought it was Shinichi who died during the war, not Shinku, and that he thought King Odin was breaking his promise by giving him away to the Shadow Knight.

When he arrived, the gate was opened by the Vulcans, the fire spirits that became knights and guards of Volkenon. He marched up to the throne room, and the king smirked when he saw him.

"Welcome," he said. "To what occasion do I owe this pleasure to?"

"King Heiji," Shinichi started sharply. "You know full well why I am here. I believe you are holding something that is mine captive in your kingdom."

"I honestly don't know," Heiji said as he shook his head. "I'm not holding anyone or anything captive. Everything that is in this kingdom stays here out of their own free will."

"Where is he then?" Shinichi demanded. "Where is the Shadow Knight?"

"He's in the deepest chamber," Heiji answered in disinterest. "Fighting Levanthan."

"Levanthan? The fire dragon Levanthan?" Shinichi asked to make sure. "He's the enemy of your kingdom. Why are you making the Shadow Knight fight him?"

"I didn't make him do anything," Heiji said with a growl. "I told you, he chose to do it himself."

"But there must be something that pushed him to do it," Shinichi insisted. "What were you planning to do?"

Shinichi fell silent as Heiji didn't reply. "You were," he started hesitantly, unsure if his accusation would cause more damage than already be dealt, "you were planning to betray the treaty, weren't you?"

"He broke his promise first," Heiji said. "In exchange for peace he promised you to me, yet in exchange of his own life, he gave you away to the Shadow Knight."

"But he didn't give her away!" Shinichi shouted. "Shinku died in the war against Ringford! If you want to blame someone, blame Ringford! Gungnir is only in my possession because she gave it to me!"

Heiji stared at him with unfaltering gaze and Shinichi's eyes widened in realization.

"You knew," he said accusingly. "You knew she died in the war. You were just too cowardly to accept the truth of her death!"

"Silence!" Heiji roared. "Who are you to speak of cowardice and courage!?"

"Do you think you're the only one affected by her death!?" Shinichi shouted back. "Do you think I, her twin, wished for her death!? Do you think that King Odin, her father, wished for it!?"

"Then why was she sent to the battlefield!?"

Heiji's eyes widened in shock as he recoiled from the force of the slap. The Vulcans around them tensed up, ready to fight should the valkyrie pose a greater threat to their king.

"You are not only a coward, but a selfish person who didn't understand her at all," Shinichi said, his voice thick with tears. "We're valkyries! It's in our blood to fight. It's an honour for us, and stripping us of our knighthood is the biggest humiliation a valkyrie can take! You wish for her to be shamed in her own kingdom? If you wanted her to not fight, then why didn't you claim her sooner? I know you could!"

"I was... I wasn't..." Heiji stuttered. "I wasn't ready for her... I wanted to become a better man for her first before claiming her."

Shinichi's expression softened. He knew the king was sincere.

"I'm sorry she had to die," he said softly.

"No, you're right," Heiji said as he shook his head. "She's not mine alone to mourn. I'm sorry I've hurt you more because of my selfishness. Go, find the Shadow Knight."

Shinichi stared at him in uncertainty, but the king simply nodded at him and urged him on, so guided by the Vulcans, he went to the deepest depth of Volkenon in search of Kaito.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Kaito groaned in exhaustion and pain. He didn't know how long he had been there, fighting the dragon. The dragon was still in its hatchling form, not a full-fledged dragon like Wagner who guarded Titrel, so he should have been able to kill it easy. However, right at the start of their battle, he felt his power draining fast and his Psypher became an ordinary, blunt object.

He cursed Odette in his head. Ever since he broke free from the Underworld, she had been trying to drain all the power she gave him in the first place. He knew she was hoping to get her guards, the Halja, to catch him at a vulnerable moment so they could bring him back to the Underworld.

And now he was in danger of actual death. If he died here, he would be stuck in the Underworld like Shinku, forever unable to break free.

He had tried his best in fighting off the dragon. He couldn't return without killing it because the king of Volkenon would see it as a breach of their contract and forcefully take Shinichi away from Ragnanival to Volkenon. He didn't mind giving Shinichi up to someone else if they could love him better, but the king wanted him to replace his sister, and he couldn't allow that.

What contract, you ask?

On his trip to find Titrel he had overheard some people living on the border of Ragnanival and Volkenon talk about the possibility of Volkenon invading Ragnanival. He thought that the kingdom was still recovering from their last battle against Ringford and definitely didn't need another invasion, much less by an allied kingdom.

And so, he went to see if he could change the king's mind. The king said he didn't like the breaking of Odin's promise and as he tried to negotiate with the king, he finally agreed to let the matter slide if he would kill Levanthan, the dragon that had been bothering Volkenon for a while.

Taking advantage of the moment of distraction, Levanthan threw him against a wall. He yelped in pain as the rough edges of the rock wall dug against his back. He slid down onto the ground and closed his eyes, feeling the utter exhaustion start to take its toll on him.

He felt the chamber becoming hotter, and knew that Levanthan was about to incinerate him with a blast of fire, but he couldn't find the strength to evade. As he closed his eyes to succumb to unconsciousness and his possible death, he wondered if all people who were about to die imagined their loved ones shouting their name, as if begging them to please don't go.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Kaito!"

Shinichi thanked all the powers that be that he made it in time to see Levanthan about to burn the Shadow Knight into ashes. He swooped in and brought Kaito away from the tongue of fire just in time and he felt a rush of adrenaline surging through his entire being.

"Keep an eye on him," he commanded the Vulcans as he lay Kaito near their feet, then turned back to his fight with Levanthan.

Just like Kaito, it wasn't his first fight with a dragon. Although he was mostly helped by Shinku in his important battles, it didn't mean he was completely helpless and didn't learn from experience. He heard Shinku's voice in his head, telling him that he was close to the Underworld and that was why she could contact him easy.

She guided him through the battle but didn't take complete control of his body. They made short work of Levanthan and then made their way back up to the throne room.

"Welcome back," Heiji greeted with a wry smile when he saw Shinichi walking to the throne room followed by a couple of Vulcans who were carrying Kaito. "And congratulations. You are free to go now."

Shinichi gave him a sympathetic smile. "Before that, I believe there's someone who wishes to speak to you."

Heiji stared at him in confusion and his frown deepened when Shinichi's form glowed slightly before the light dimmed, and suddenly the posture changed.

"Hello, Heiji," he spoke with a soft, airy voice and Heiji's eyes widened in surprise.

"Shinku?"

Shinku smiled at him. "Yes, I am she," she said. "However, I can only stay for so long. Taking over Shin-chan's body tires both of us out."

Shinku walked over to him and stood right in front of him. "You shouldn't have worried, Heiji. You can never be a better man for me."

Heiji's face fell, but Shinku was quick to cup his face and brought it up so they were staring into each other's eyes. "You're already the best for me."

What started as a chaste, innocent kiss between the two soon morphed into a passionate, open-mouthed kiss, and when they were finished, Shinku was trying her best to hold her laughter in because Shinichi was constantly protesting at the back of her mind, saying he had never even kissed anyone like that, how dare Shinku use his body to do it to someone.

Which was replied with "your fault for not making out with your husband" by Shinku. That shut Shinichi up immediately.

Shinku pressed another kiss on the tip of Heiji's nose before she stepped back and changed back to Shinichi. Heiji let him go and he stepped back, away from the king.

"Thank you," Heiji said. "If it's not too much to ask for, can I have Shinku buried here in my kingdom?"

"I shall ask the King Odin himself," Shinichi promised.

"Very well. Go in peace," Heiji said, then retreated back to his chamber.

Shinichi turned towards the Vulcans and were about to consider asking their help to carry Kaito all the way back to Ragnanival because he wouldn't be able to do it himself, when he saw Kaito standing there.

All the way back to the kingdom, he kept stealing glances at the Shadow Knight, wondering if he had seen the kiss between Heiji and Shinku.

Then, when he caught himself stealing another glance, he wondered just _why_ he cared.

**End of Chapter ****Fourteen**

Hope you liked that, and if you do, leave a comment :)

I inserted a little bit of Kaito's PoV there just to get a feel of what was happening during his fight with Levanthan.

Also, I think I mentioned in the previous chapters that Shinku was engaged to the king of Volkenon. Or maybe not. I can't remember because it's been so long since I wrote the older chapters ;_; and I can't be arsed to re-read them all only to forget them again T_T

Now, I was re-reading the outline after I finished this chapter and was shocked to know that this was kind of... a repeat of chapter ten. However, Shinichi didn't know anything about his kidnapping and the agreement between Heiji and Kaito. He accused him with the thing that came to mind at that time and Heiji got defensive, I suppose. That's the best I can offer, since the confrontation is between different people it shouldn't have mattered... right?


	16. A Lenient Death

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: yes, yes, I know I should be hit for being so late in updating this. I have a valid reason though . I was busy with my internship and had just finished it last week ;P

Anyway, this is one of the emotional, development chapters xD not much action, we'll see more next chapter, but hope you enjoy anyway =D

**Chapter ****Fifteen**** – ****A Lenient Death**

Kaito spoke to Shinichi the first time that day when they finally reached the old palace. He inquired why Shinichi had given chase to him to Volkenon, but his tone betrayed nothing and Shinichi was slightly disappointed. He had thought the Shadow Knight would be happy that he was finally showing signs of reciprocating his feelings.

Of course, he couldn't blame him. After all, he was the one who kissed another in front of him.

"Well, I was worried," Shinichi said indignantly. "You always did whatever you did quickly, and it took quite a while. Of course I'd get suspicious."

Kaito simply hmm-ed and started to walk towards his own chamber, which was quite a fair distance from Shinichi's. He'd been living there since before Shinichi woke up because he didn't want to make Shinichi feel like he was being cornered.

"Prince!"

The two halted and turned to see the valkyrie who had just rushed up to them, her voice laced with such urgency.

"There's an emergency! Ringford soldiers invaded Nebulapolis and King Odin is heavily injured!"

"Is he alright now?" Shinichi asked in surprise and slight fear. He just found out that their father cared for them, and while it might sound selfish, he didn't want to let Odin join Shinku in the Underworld yet.

"Yes, he's being treated right now," the valkyrie said, "we've also sent a platoon to give chase after them. They've taken Titrel."

"Ah—"

Shinichi darted his eyes to Kaito, trying to gauge his reaction. He knew it must hurt to know that his token of love and dedication had been treated as a spoil of war, but the Shadow Knight remained impassive and silent; so much that it was starting to scare Shinichi.

"Very well, I will follow to Ringford with another as soon as I can," Shinichi said and quickly dismissed the valkyrie. He then turned to Kaito. "Um..."

"That's alright," he said without letting Shinichi say anything. "I expected that."

"But—"

"I've already known from the start that it would always be one-sided. It was my decision to go along with it anyway, so it's my fault."

"But it won't _always_ be one-sided—I mean, I like—"

"You don't know what you're saying," Kaito cut him off again, and Shinichi was taken aback by how cold his tone and eyes were. Kaito _never_ cut anyone off, not even when he was the Shadow Knight. "Go tend to your father and reclaim the ring. It might help you win the war."

"I don't care about the war!" Shinichi exclaimed. "It has given me nothing but grief. I will go and reclaim Titrel, but only because—"

"Just like me, isn't it?" Kaito asked with a level tone. "Only giving you grief."

"Kaito—"

The Shadow Knight turned his back on Shinichi and walked away. Shinichi watched him go farther and farther until he was out of sight and broke down in tears.

He knew it was his fault. He was the one who took Kaito's dedication for granted, who gave Titrel to Odin although Odin had, in his own way, tried to deter him from giving it to him. It was true, after all, the saying that you didn't realize what you've got until you've lost it.

He quickly stopped crying, not wanting to alert anyone, especially Ran, and wiped his tears away. He held onto Gungnir tightly, determinedly, and went off to Nebulapolis to gather another army of valkyrie to give chase to Ringford. He would reclaim Titrel back, even if it wouldn't help him reclaim Kaito back.

Meanwhile, Jii watched from the distance and sighed. He went to Kaito's chamber, and asked, "Why use such harsh words towards the prince? He, who hasn't cried since the princess' death, cried because of you."

Kaito sat silently on his bed. Minutes passed but Jii simply stood there in silence. He knew the Shadow Knight would reply when he was ready without further prompting.

"Odette," Kaito started, "she's taken my powers away. Belderiver is nothing but an ornament now, not even a weapon; and you know what that means. She'll be sending the Halja to come for me very soon."

"I fail to see the relation between this and that."

"He's still confused about his feeling," Kaito said, shaking his head. "It's better if his feelings don't develop. I don't want him to mourn when the Halja takes me to the Underworld. He's still hurting from losing the princess."

"Yes, but unlike her, you haven't actually died. You can still break free from the Underworld."

"What don't you understand?" Kaito asked in frustration. "Odette has taken my power away! I'm no more than a civilian now."

"Yes," Jii said, unaffected by Kaito's outburst, "but what makes you so sure that the hard-headed prince will not go to the Underworld to bring you back? After all, he _has_ gone to Volkenon to bring you back."

Kaito fell silent at that, truly not knowing what to say.

"I will leave you with that thought," Jii said simply, and exited the room quietly.

Kaito still sat on the bed, contemplating what Jii had said. He was actually afraid that what Jii said would come true, because Shinichi was still less experienced in battle compared to Shinku, and he didn't want the prince to fight Odette. She might be a queen but she was still powerful.

True to his prediction, not long after a group of Halja, the soldiers of the Underworld, came through the open window, their spears held in their hands, ready for a fight.

"As expected of you, Shadow Knight. You have predicted our coming correctly," one of the Halja said. "Now, you can come with us willingly, or we can bring you to the Underworld with us by force."

Kaito stood up, taking Belderiver with him as he did. "Let's go," he said. "I need to talk to Odette."

**End of Chapter ****Fifteen**

Hope you liked that, and if you do, leave a comment :)


	17. Battle in Fairy Land

**Tale of the Warring Nations**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Pairing: Shinkai (not necessarily in this order. I just list it this way because Shinkai sounds better -_-;;;), mentions of other pairings. I'll be kind and mention right out that this will be KaitoShinICHI, not KaitoShinKU :D but there will be mentions of HeiShinKU, HakubaShiho (again), and one-sided AokoKaito

Warning: AU, OOCness (some characters WILL be OOC), fem!Shinichi who's named Shinku

Disclaimer: obviously, DC is not mine. If it were, it would be so lame, that this fandom would be non-existent. Also, Odin Sphere, the game that became the basis of this fic, is developed by Vanillaware

A/N: I don't have a good enough excuse to not post the updates on this fic. Yes, I'm still alive, and yes, I'm sorry it took so long. I started school again, and was busy for a long while. That, plus the fact that I'm busy with a HD fest, made me forget all about this fic . I should be hit. Anyway, I'll still finish this fic, and finish that promised sequel of Pandora's Box, for those who followed Pandora's Box. I owe you guys at least that much, and I want to write it too, because the outline is done and all that is left is to write it out

I hope this chapter is good enough to be worth the wait... haha. Well, I don't have any big project to be done anytime soon, so hopefully I can write the next chapters soon. Hopefully

**Chapter ****Sixteen**** – ****Battle in Fairy Land**

Gathering an army of valkyries to ambush Ringford was unsurprisingly easy. The valkyries were, first and foremost, warriors who would lay their lives down for their kingdom, after all.

Shinichi led the group of valkyries to join the others who were fighting against Ringford's fairy army at the front line, and slowly but surely, they managed to push through the fairy ranks.

"Make way," he told one of the valkyries. "I wish to confront the Fairy Queen."

The fairies had joined ranks to form a barricade between the valkyries and their queen, but the valkyries had managed to find a weak point and attacked it, creating a gap wide enough for Shinichi to go through so he could confront Aoko, the newly crowned Fairy Queen.

"The prince of Ragnanival," Aoko greeted as she regarded Shinichi coldly. "Is it not enough for you to take my mother away from me, that you have to take my beloved and my land from me too?"

"The Fairy Queen Elfaria died of her own unbelief," Shinichi said. "I did not take your beloved away from you—he gave himself freely to me; and I have not come here to take your land. I am here to reclaim Titrel, for it is more important to me than Ringford will ever be... or the Cauldron, for that matter."

"Really, now," Aoko said as she scoffed. "And why would that be so? Were you not the one who gave Titrel away so your arrogant king could activate the Cauldron?"

"I was, and I did so foolishly," Shinichi admitted. "Said arrogant king tried to stop me from committing the foolish act, and behold, he has not used Titrel to activate the Cauldron, as he knows the importance of ring better than I do. Can the same be said for your arrogant queen?"

"Silence!" Aoko shouted in rage. "You have no right to talk of my mother that way!"

"As you don't have the right to talk about my father that way," Shinichi retorted, taking hold of Gungnir and getting into a fighting stance. "If you return Titrel to me, I swear that I will order the valkyries to pull back, and your kingdom will be left in peace. We both have no use for the Cauldron, so there is no reason to prolong this war."

"You have let go of the Shadow Knight," Aoko said, holding tightly onto her Psypher crossbow, "and I will not let you take him back so easily."

Shinichi jumped to the side to evade the magic arrow shot out from Aoko's crossbow. He knew he was at a disadvantage, but Gungnir wasn't without a trick up to its sleeve. After all, it was a Psypher spear, not a regular spear.

Shinichi waved Gungnir, and a blast of air knocked Aoko back, although she didn't fall down, as she flew up to safety as soon as she lost her balance.

"Huh, so I'm not at an advantage as I thought," Aoko commented, floating in the air as she kept her grip on Riblam tight. "You surprise me more and more, prince of Ragnanival. May the best one win."

The battle raged on as a treaty had not yet been reached. The valkyries and the fairies were both capable of long-range attacks, although most of them kept to close combat as they didn't want to mistakenly hurt an ally.

Being a valkyrie had its own perks; they were quick on their feet, and they could glide in the air. Valkyries were also strong creatures that could withstand a lot of pain, and would rather die in honour than retreat, especially in a battle they had to win.

Shinichi noted the absence of Shinku's guiding voice in his head, unlike that time he fought against Wagner to save Shiho from the dragon. However, he knew that this was his fight, and he had to win it by himself, to prove his determination and dedication. None of the valkyries helped him in his battle as well, because they knew he wanted to win this fight by himself. Some of the fairies tried to help their queen, but Aoko waved them away.

As they fought, the distance between them became less and less, until Aoko was within range of Gungnir's swing. Shinichi let out another blast of air, and using the moment of distraction, pierced through Aoko's right wing with his spear. Aoko yelped in surprise and pain, her grip on Riblam becoming lax for a second, and Shinichi took the chance to knock it away from her hand and step on it, before he pointed the tip of Gungnir at her throat.

"Give the fight up," he said, "and return Titrel to me."

"What's stopping you from killing me?" Aoko asked as she laughed bitterly. "Go on. Kill me and win the war."

"There is no war to be won," Shinichi said as he shook his head. "As I've said, we have no more interest in the Cauldron. I wish to reclaim Titrel for a purely personal reason."

"You do realise that if you let me live, I can wage another war against Ragnanival?" Aoko asked. The fairies and valkyries around them had stopped, seeing their leaders in such a position. Some of the fairies again tried to help Aoko, but the valkyries made short work of them, ensuring their leaders were not disturbed.

"I do," Shinichi confirmed, "but what reason do you have to wage a war against Ragnanival? This fight is amongst us, not our kingdoms."

Aoko laughed again, the bitter note ringing clear in the battlefield. "I never thought I'd see the day when everything I hold dear is taken away from me."

"Your kingdom remains with you," Shinichi pointed out. "Do you not hold it dear?"

"Melvin," she started, pausing for a moment before continuing, "he is planning to usurp me from the throne and use the Cauldron for his own gain. He has used his own adoptive son for that. What is stopping him from using me?"

"Why have you not done anything to stop him, then?" Shinichi queried. "One of Ragnanival's generals, Lord Brigan, was also using us for his own gain. He died in the hands of Shinku."

"I do not have a concrete proof against him," Aoko admitted. She took off the ring she was wearing, and handed it back to Shinichi. "Take it. You have won it."

Shinichi took the proffered Titrel and lowered Gungnir, although he still hadn't taken his foot off of Riblam, for fear Aoko would use it to attack him. "Thank you."

"Your duty here is done," Aoko said as she stood up, leaving RIblam still on the ground. "I thank you, Shinichi, for helping me. If I cannot have my beloved, then I should at least keep my kingdom safe, away from Melvin's evil deeds."

"I have not helped you," Shinichi said in confusion.

"You have, in a way you might not notice," Aoko replied. "The princess died to protect her kingdom. Maybe it is time that I do too."

"What—"

"Did you know," Aoko started as she smiled at Shinichi. It was a serene smile, one given by someone who had accepted their fate, the very same smile Shinichi had seen on Shinku's face before she breathed her last, and for one moment he feared for the fairy queen. "My real name is Yggdrasil."

"The world tree?" Shinichi asked in surprise.

"Indeed," Aoko confirmed. "You are right. This war has gone on long enough, and for something that we both no longer care about. It is time for us to stop the war, and let Erion be in peace."

"Fairies," she said, calling out to the fairies who had taken to watching the exchange with rapt fascination. "I want you to return to Ringford and live in peace. No matter what Melvin tells you to do, you shall not obey him, for as long as the World Tree stands, there shall be no fighting done by us fairies."

"Yes, Your Highness," the fairies chorused.

Shinichi thought Aoko was referring to herself when she said as long as the World Tree stood, there shall be no fighting. It was, after all, her real name. However, he soon realised how wrong he was.

"My only regret is that I am unable to see Kaito finally be happy," Aoko said slowly as she bent down to pick up Riblam, and this time Shinichi let her, which earned him a grateful smile from her. "I have tried, so hard, but I have also known for a long time that it is not me that will make him happy."

"Aoko..."

"You will make him happy, won't you?" Aoko asked.

"As best as I could," Shinichi answered with a firm nod.

"Thank you," Aoko said, nodding back at him. "That puts my mind at ease. Goodbye, Shinichi, and may happiness follow you. Ragnanival and Ringford shall never fight again, for as long as the World Tree stands."

Shinichi watched in shock as Aoko slowly faded, and in her place, the World Tree grew, tall and majestic. The roots glowed red, filled with shards of her Psypher. The fairies all stared in awe at the World Tree, and lowered their weapons. The valkyries did the same, and from then on, whenever there was a disagreement between Ragnanival and Ringford, they did not lead to a battle, but rather to a diplomatic discussion to resolve their disagreement.

Because, for the first time in a long time, the arid, desolate landscape that was their battleground, the ruined remains of the kingdom Valentine, was filled with life.

**End of Chapter ****Sixteen**

Hope you liked that, and if you do, leave a comment :)

Only six chapters to go, including the epilogue =D who's excited? Haha. I am, at least. When this is finished I will start posting the sequel to Pandora's Box. I've actually written the prologue and the first two chapters of that story, although I want to finish this first before I start posting those =)


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